Lakers highlights: What the Lakers look for as LeBron James returns to form
Luka Doncic set the tone with 24 points in the first quarter. LeBron James picked up the baton with 18 goals over the next two quarters. Austin Reaves put the finishing touches on the Lakers’ 135-118 win over the Clippers on Tuesday, scoring 18 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter.
The Lakers’ Big Three each played their solo parts and harmonized almost perfectly together to push the Lakers (13-4) to their fifth straight victory. Doncic was the protagonist with 43 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds. Reaves added 31 points and nine rebounds, and James had 25 points and a season-high six assists.
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Here are three highlights from the win:
Read more: Luka Doncic owns the Clippers again as the Lakers win the NBA Cup matchup
LeBron James feels ‘better and better’
During parts of Sunday’s game in Utah, James gestured desperately toward the Lakers’ bench for a replacement. Asked after the game about a particularly taxing stretch during the second quarter, James joked that it just wasn’t that moment.
“First, second, third and fourth,” James joked Sunday in Utah. “Come get me.”
Two days later, James seemed almost back to normal with a season-high 25 points, proving he had no problem pushing the pace in transition while the team was plus-18 with him on the court.
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“He’s going to get better every game,” James said Tuesday of his conditioning. “Today was another… testament to that. So a big win for us, but I’m starting to feel better and better.”
Coach JJ Redick said the Lakers will monitor James’ three-point shooting, play and transition points as indicators of how he is progressing in his return from sciatica that sidelined him for 14 games.
On a team that was struggling to find the three-point shot, James can be a much-needed laser. James has shot 41.3% from three over the last three seasons, increasing the volume of his shots. He has taken at least 184 of those three-pointers in each of the last four seasons after taking no more than 148 in any of the previous eight seasons for which tracking data is available.
That ability emerged at the perfect time Tuesday with a corner 3-pointer off a Reaves assist in the fourth quarter, helping the Lakers start the fourth quarter on a 14-4 run. James made two of five three-pointers as the Lakers shot a season-best 44.8% from three to break out of their shooting slump.
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The Lakers win the NBA Cup group
Lakers guard Austin Reaves drives to the basket as Clippers center Ivica Zubac defends in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
The Lakers have locked up their place in the NBA Cup quarterfinals, but there are still meaningful Cup games to be played.
With a 3-0 record in Group B West, the Lakers can gain home-court advantage in the quarterfinals with a win against the Dallas Mavericks in the group stage final on Friday. A win would be the easiest way to avoid resorting to the point-difference tiebreaker that could still be in play to decide the No. 1 seed in the West. Outscoring opponents by 36 points, the Lakers’ point differential is 27 points behind Group A West leaders Oklahoma City (2-0 in the bracket) for the potential No. 1 seed. The top-seeded team will host the wild-card team, which will earn a spot in the quarterfinals as it is the best second-place team in the bracket. Portland and Denver lead Group C West with a 2-1 record.
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The three-year-old NBA Cup, inspired by similar seasonal tournaments in European leagues, has sparked confusion over the colorful courts and ever-changing scenery of the group stage. The potential extra travel and extra championship game could end up putting more of a strain on teams with bigger playoff ambitions, but the prize is worth it: $500,000 for each player.
“Obviously I’ll take some money,” Doncic said with a wry smile. “It’s easy… I played it in Spain, something like that, so I like it. Only on the pitch, please.”
Doncic said the Lakers’ NBA Cup court — bright yellow with the gold and black trophy painted on the key — caused problems for some players as they slipped on the new hardwood. An area near the free throw line in front of the Clippers’ bench appeared particularly slippery. Doncic said he quickly realized during warmups that the surface could be an issue.
“I slipped a lot of times and you could see a lot of players slipping,” Doncic said. “And that’s dangerous, man.”
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Redick said he noticed players slipping, but also that they were falling before that. He said the team will examine the field.
Jaxson Hayes covers Luka Doncic’s back
With the $53,000 earned from advancing to the quarterfinals, Doncic can easily cover the fine issued to Jaxson Hayes on Doncic’s behalf at the end of Tuesday’s game.
With 3:36 remaining in a 10-point game, Doncic was positioning himself for a potential rebound under the basket when Clippers guard Kris Dunn pushed him to the back. Doncic called it a “low blow” and yelled back at Dunn, who responded by shoving the ball into Doncic’s chest. Hayes then intervened and pushed Dunn away from Doncic.
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“I didn’t like the way he pushed it,” Hayes said. “I just wanted to help.”
Read more: Luka Doncic helps Lakers hold off Jazz for fourth straight win
Hayes was assessed a technical foul while Dunn received a technical foul for pushing the ball toward Doncic and was ejected with a second technical for retaliating against Hayes. Doncic immediately told Hayes he would cover the $2,000 fine for Hayes’ first technical foul of the year.
“That says a lot about him,” Doncic said. “That says a lot about this team. Everyone supports each other.”
Hayes and Doncic became so close in less than a season playing together for the Lakers that they explored the opportunity for Hayes to become a naturalized Slovenian citizen to play for the national team with Doncic. A high-level athletic center, Hayes is the type of player who excels next to a pick-and-roll artist like Doncic, who loves to put on a show with flashy lobs.
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They paired for an exclamation point on the win when Doncic threw a pass to Hayes who crashed with two hands to put the Lakers up 14 with 1:52 remaining. Hayes, who started for injured center Deandre Ayton, had eight points, four rebounds and three assists. Ayton is in the game because of a right knee contusion and Redick said he could return by the end of this week.
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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.