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Lakers fight off Grizzlies; improve to 6-0 at home

By RC Nazemion

Revenge not only is best served cold, but it just happened to be on the menu tonight. The Lakers defeated the Grizzlies tonight after being dismantled without AD a week ago in Memphis,

The Purple and Gold battled back and forth through the second half, ultimately retaining their undefeated home record to start the season.

Injured Grizzlies

Tonight’s matchup against the Grizzlies certainly wasn’t against their team at full strength. Memphis was without Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, GG Jackson, and Vince Williams Jr. It looked as though that would be a factor, but the second half proved differently.

Lakers Hot Start

The Los Angeles Lakers welcomed the Memphis Grizzlies to Crypto.com Arena and raced ahead right from the start. LA was capitalizing on turnovers by turning them into quick points in transition. They also shot the lights out of the gym to start the game, going 7/11 from deep in the first quarter.

It seemed like we were witnessing a JJ Redick run team at its highest form. The Lakers got complacent on the defensive end, and Anthony Davis slowly but surely put himself in foul trouble, giving Memphis a way back into the game.

First Average Showing From AD

Anthony Davis has been the best player in the world to start the season. Unfortunately, he was not tonight. While still putting up 21 points and 14 rebounds (a great game from most players) and reaching 18,000 career points, Davis found himself in foul trouble for much of the night.

Ultimately, he finally got involved in the game in the 4th quarter, where he recorded 11 points (2/3 3P) and three rebounds.

Dalton Knecht Saves The Lakers

Memphis ended the first half and continued into the second half with a 13-0 run. At a pivotal point in the 3rd quarter, Memphis held a seemingly impenetrable nine-point lead. Anthony Davis had to be taken out with five fouls, and LeBron needed a rest. Enter Dalton Knecht.

In what was clearly his most comfortable game, Knecht salvaged a game that was on the brink of slipping out of LA’s grasp.

Knecht flipped the game on its head by hitting three massive threes in the third quarter and leading into the fourth. In an interview after the game, when asked what they did to pull out this win, LeBron had this to say: “Leaned on Dalton Knecht, that’s what we did.”

LeBron Got Jealous

Anthony Davis has been sitting atop the MVP ladder for the entire season, and LeBron has gotten jealous. Recording triple-doubles in his two previous games, James continued his streak tonight.

By attaining tonight’s triple-double, LeBron became the oldest player ever to record three straight triple-doubles.

LeBron, playing at this level, will undoubtedly find himself in the MVP conversation. He is in his 22nd season. What we are seeing from this man is not normal. Gather your friends and family and take any chance you can to see this man. We will not see this again.

Notable Performers

Lebron James: 35 points, 14 assists, 12 rebounds, 4/7 3P

Dalton Knecht: 19 points, 7/8 FG, 5/5 3P

Rui Hachimura: 19 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3/4 3P

RC Nazemi was born with a lifelong passion for the NBA and specifically the Lakers, and he's chosen to utilize his writing skills to share that unbridled passion with you, the fans. Based in Coeur d'Alene, ID, he's currently finishing up a Bachelors Degree in Mass Communication and Media Studies with Arizona State University, and he's looking to expand to a larger market and advance in the sports broadcasting/journalism world someday soon.
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