Lakers dominate back-to-back

by Max Creditor

Scott G Winterton/Deseret News

The 30-26 Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Utah Jazz 138-122 Wednesday night on the second night of their back-to-back, following their victory over the Pistons on Tuesday.

These big wins set the LakeShow four games over .500 and the ninth seed in the West going into the All-Star break. 6-1 in their last seven, the Purple and Gold are rolling at the right time.

Only 3.5 games out of the playoff picture, let’s dive into our two key takeaways from this back-to-back for the rest of the season. 

Offensive Consistency 

The Lakers have found their groove offensively at this point in the season. In their last seven games, Los Angeles ranks second in the league in offensive rating at 122.4. The key to their efficiency is unselfish basketball.

The Lakers have been sharing the love offensively during this stretch, posting a league-best 31.3 assists to pair with a league-low ten turnovers per game in that stretch.

This highly efficient assist-to-turnover ratio is the product of Laker offensive players making the right plays and shooting high-efficiency shots. LA has been patient with their three-point shooting as of late, ranking in the bottom third of the league in terms of 3PA per game, yet ranking fourth best in 3P% at 40.0 over their last seven games.

Rather than hunting three-point shots, the Lakers find the open man underneath when it's open, assisting on 65.5% of their two-point field goal attempts, and take the open three-pointer when it’s there. 

If the Lakers can continue to play team-oriented basketball, making unselfish plays and taking high-quality shots, they will continue to dominate games on the offensive end. 

Depth

The most encouraging aspect of the Lakers’ seven-game stretch has been the involvement of their entire roster.

In this span, LA has seven players averaging double-digit scoring and six players shooting over 40.0% from three. Additionally, the three players with the highest +- are, you guessed it, Jarred Vanderbilt, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura.

From the start of this season, we’ve waited to see the Lakers’ roster play to the best of their ability.

With so much proven talent, we expected more than their substandard start; however, we’re noticing a shift in the entire roster this month, producing efficiently in their respective roles.

With the addition of Spencer Dinwiddie, the Lakers will hope to continue their hot streak when other key players such as Gabe Vincent, Cam Reddish, and Jarred Vanderbilt come back from injury.

The LakeShow is heating up ahead of the heart of their schedule. With 26 games left to go, the Lakers will look to build on their momentum after the All-Star break. 

Leave a comment

Back to LAKERS NEWS