Lakers take down Warriors in Jarred Vanderbilt’s return
The Lakers came away with a third straight win, beating the Warriors 118-108. Let’s break down our main takeaways from LA’s win.
VANDO WAS OUT FOR 359 DAYS AND STILL MADE AN INSTANT IMPACT IN HIS FIRST GAME BACK 🔒
A thread of Vando’s most impactful plays in tonight’s win 🧵 pic.twitter.com/UsA2tgA52R
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) January 26, 2025
Jarred Vanderbilt’s instant impact
Jarred Vanderbilt made his season debut after almost missing a year of action. Vanderbilt made an instant impact, finishing with two points, four rebounds, two assists, and three steals in 12 minutes of action.
The defensive forward brought instant energy to the group and was stellar as a rebounder and defender. His minutes with their other defensive forward, Dorian Finney-Smith, gave a glimpse of what will be a tough to score on unit.
Anthony Davis’ dominance
Anthony Davis played at the MVP level at which he started the season. Davis had 36 points along with 13 rebounds, three assists, three steals, and a block.
The star big man playing at this level will help the Lakers become a contender. However, Davis has expressed that he wants the Lakers to acquire a center so he can play more minutes at power forward.
If Rob Pelinka and the front office are able to acquire an impactful big, it could elevate Davis’s play to another level.
Lakers team performance
The Purple and Gold put together a great team win, with everyone contributing. Finney-Smith knocked down a pair of triples and played great defense in his first start.
LeBron James had 25 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists, while Austin Reaves had 16/5/7. Max Christie contributed 11 points and eight boards, with Dalton Knecht having 13 off the bench.
With Vanderbilt back in the lineup, the rotation has depth that it didn’t have before. Players are thriving in their roles, and this could help them to continue their win streak.
With an all-around team win and two big wins in a row over the Celtics and Warriors, the Lakers are entering contender status. If they are able to make a deadline acquisition or two, they could make a title run.
