Almost every game this season has been a no-defense nail-biter. What did you expect to happen Wednesday when the Lakers took on the TWolves in LA?
The first half was a defensive aberration, but thankfully the Laker offense was functioning just enough to stay on pace with Minnesota. The whole TWolves squad was uncharacteristically on fire from three-point land (20/40 from beyond the arc), particularly Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler. It actually looked like we were headed for a Jimmy Butler or Rose takeover in the end. Rose had a chance to win the game with the ball in his hands and down by two, but his three-point shot bricked on the back rim, with the Lakers securing the board/free throws for the win. The Lakers really didn't play defense until the last four minutes, but that was good enough for the win tonight so we won't complain. See the game recap below!
Game Recap
First Quarter
This game started out like an Eastern Conference matchup from 2012. LeBron scored the first basket of the game for the Lakers while Derrick Rose countered with a three at the other end. The teams both had great energy to start the night out. LeBron and Lonzo (two guys who seemed passive/apathetic in losses this season) were both locked in from the get-go. Lonzo looked particularly aggressive early on, tallying two quick rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Minny's stars in Butler, Towns, and Wiggins carried themselves with a certain fire of their own. LA was certainly engaged, but they weren't executing enough to gain the scoreboard advantage. The Wolves were absolutely killing it in the shooting department, draining 6/8 from three and hopping out to an early lead 24-19 with four minutes to play in the first.
With 3:08 left, Tyson Chandler checked in with his #5 jersey for his first minutes as a Laker. He boxed out Minnesota well which kept a possession alive to culminate in a Josh Hart three-ball to make it 28-22 Wolves. Chandler continued to do some classic Chandler things like setting firms screens and battling on the boards. The Lakers managed to trim the lead to two thanks to the hot shooting of Josh Hart. 32-30 Wolves ahead at the end of the first.
Second Quarter
The Lakers tried to get back in it during the first few minutes, but nothing seemed to go their way. Tyson Chandler was still battling down low for boards but the other Lakers weren't there to pick up the slack. Still, his seven-foot presence alone probably saved the Lakers from letting the Wolves run all over them with McGee off the floor. After a while, LA's offense managed to find some life and tie it up at 38 thanks to a string of three's from KCP & Josh Hart.
But Minnesota responded strongly and ended up quickly retaking the lead. Jimmy Buckets was everywhere. His jumper was wet and he was finding his teammates for quality shots. He was just picking up where he left off in that monster of a game he had against the Lakers. Wolves were narrowly up 45-42.
And just like that the Lakers regained the lead, 46-45 off a Kyle Kuzma drive. The pace in this game was maddening. Once it looked like one team was going to maintain an advantage, the other one would get out running and take it back by swift force. It didn't last long though, as the Lakers shot themselves in the foot with offensive fouls and ill-advised shots. The visitors gained a six-point advantage 56-50 with a little less than four minutes to play in the half.
The Lakers battled, but Minnesota had their firm grasp on the lead heading into the second half. Derrick Rose started taking over for the Wolves, killing the Lakers from 3-pt land and underneath the basket. The Lakers kept pace though, cutting it to a two-point game off of a Kuzma buzzer-beat three assisted by LeBron. 67-65 Wolves ahead entering into the final two quarters. Overall, the defense was still pretty pathetic. The Wolves were getting way too many uncontested looks, thus the high point total in this contest.
Third Quarter
We saw some sloppy play to start the third as Minnesota jumped ahead by four, but a few transition opportunities put the Lakers back in the lead 70-69. The joy was only for a fleeting moment as Derrick Rose put the Wolves back up with a long two. LA was initiating their plays well, but they just kept fucking up their alley-oops and transition opportunities. It was frustrating the hell out of me! Thankfully, Kyle Kuzma was out here getting buckets so I didn't completely lose my mind. A pretty floater over KAT put the Lakers up back up by one, 71-70 with 6:43 to go in the third.
Jimmy Butler and Rose began taking over with the two-man game. Butler was just cooking from beyond the arc, nailing tightly contest shots despite Brandon Ingram's lanky arms all up in his face. Derrick Rose was looking like his vintage self as well. Lonzo Ball was playing some nice individual defense on the guy though.
The third was coming to a close, and it was looking like a back-and-forth affair with leads being exchanged like the stock market. A pair of KAT free throws put the Wolves back up by two, 85-83 with one minute to play. Anthony Tolliver threw up a three to push the Wolves lead to five in the waning seconds, but Josh Hart got the last word with a triple to cut it to two heading into the fourth. Wolves still ahead 88-86.
Fourth Quarter
The Lakers and Wolves danced and trotted out their moves, but no one was making any progress on the scoreboard. Two and a half minutes of game time went by and the Lakers were the only ones who scored. 5 points on the board for the Lakeshow, sending them up by three 91-88. A couple of free throws by LeBron and Josh Hart ballooned the Laker lead up to six, 94-88.
Suddenly Minny was back in it after a four-point play given up by Josh Hart, tying it up 94-all. Then out of all people, Taj Gibson nailed a corner three to put the Wolves up 97-96. LeBron took the ball in his hands and pulled up for a three of his own to put the Lakers back in the driver's seat, 99-97 with a little over six minutes to go.
Ingram threw a reckless pass to give Jimmy Butler a transition bucket and a tie-game, 99-all, but then Ingram went right back and sunk a mid-range pullup to put the Lakers back up two. Taj Gibson got a tip-in to tie it back up at 101, and then our boy Brandon Ingram countered with a deep three to regain possession of the lead. Four minutes left to play.
Minnesota was getting multiple chances to tie it thanks to the Lakers pathetic rebounding. Rose found the ball for a three-pointer to tie it back up at 104, but Kyle Kuzma made a driving dunk to put the Lakers back ahead. That was followed by a LeBron midrange fadeaway to give the Lakers a four-point lead.
The two-minute mark reared its stressful head, and the Lakers started clamping down on defense against the Wolves. It led to a couple expired shot clocks and empty possessions by the Wolves. A Kuzma three to put them up seven, their biggest lead of the game. The crowd was loud and hyped as hell, but that didn't deter Derrick Rose who stepped up at the top of the arc to sink a big three cutting it down to four. After a Kyle Kuzma miss, Rose stepped up AGAIN and nailed a three to cut it to a one-point game, 110-111 Lakers up with 1:06 to go. They were just shooting lights out from beyond the arc, and they aren't even a good three-point team.
With the ball in LeBron's hands and the lead on the line, he pulled up for a three which bricked, but the Lakers regained possession with a clutch Tyson Chandler rebound. Kyle Kuzma was found in the corner for a three- but he missed! Tyson Chandler AGAIN made the crucial tap for the offensive rebound and Lakers regained the ball. Kyle Kuzma picked it up and got fouled, which sent him to the line for crunch time free throws. He hit the first but missed the second (an alarming trend in Laker free throws late in the game). Minnesota ball, down two, eight seconds left to play. Lakers up 112-110. Derrick Rose got the ball out of the timeout and had a wide-open look at the top of the arc - but he bricked! Uncharacteristic of his play all night! Josh Hart was sent to the line with 1.2 seconds left in the game. He hit both of them to put the game out of reach and off to bed. Lakers win 114-110!
Takeaways
The Lakers have been so desperate for another capable seven-footer who can moderately rebound and defend, that Tyson Chandler seems like a buyout godsend. He's not going to be the defensive stalwart that he was with Dallas, but no reasonable Laker fan is expecting him to be such. We just need 10-15 good minutes from the experienced veteran, and he gave us that tonight with nine rebounds in 23 minutes(5 offensive rebounds). In addition to the rebounding and presence as a rim protector, he set some great screens which freed up guys like Josh Hart for much more open looks(which were converted)
When Chandler comes in the game, it allows the Lakers to maintain their defensive momentum instilled by JaVale McGee in the starting minutes. Whenever JaVale would sit down the Lakers would be absolutely screwed at the 5. Kyle Kuzma would switch over and get eaten up, or Zubac/Williams would struggle mightily against skilled bigs(Zubac more than Williams).
Chandler does a lot of the same things as McGee but with less explosiveness. He's also pretty savvy in the pick & roll from playing with an assortment of skilled PG's throughout his career. That rebound at the end might've been the play of the night though. I didn't even realize that Luke opted to play Chandler down the stretch instead of JaVale until Tyson kept that ball alive. A couple games ago, Luke wouldn't have had any other option but to play JaVale, and he might've been gassed from the surplus of minutes he would've played. Chandler offers great relief, and we saw tonight we can even go with him in crunch time if he presents himself as the better choice. It's good to finally have some options down low.
This Laker squad is never going to be a lockdown defensive team for 48 minutes. They just don't have the personnel to do it. I'd like them to be one, and at times they look incredibly locked in, but realistically I don't think they can maintain that throughout the course of the season. They're going to win games this year in the manner that they won tonight. Get into an offensive groove in the first half and grab the lead or keep it close. Then, put the clamps on in the final minutes with the game still close. Ideally, you put the ball in LeBron's hands having him control the pace and make the right play to the open man. That might be the running strategy for this current iteration of the Luke Walton-led Lakers. Check out the highlights from the game below!
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