Over the past ten games, the Lakers have had the sixth worst offense in the NBA and shot 33.8% from deep, the fifth worst percentage in the league. To say they were due to an upward regression is an understatement, but even with that in mind, their explosion of distance against the Sacramento Kings was almost unbelievable.
The Lakers hit 17 tries on Friday and shot an absolutely flaming 51.5% from behind the arc to weaken the Kings in a 115-94 victory. This is the second best percentage they have shot from deep this season, and the third most tries they have scored in a game.
Almost everyone shot well in this one, but Kyle Kuzma was the frontrunner. The Lakers’ frontrunners scorched the Kings from all over the floor, dipping, hitting hook shots and soaring in confident jumpers all night. Apparently, Luke Walton’s presence in the building is something similar to PEDs for Kuzma, who flamed his former coach’s new team for 30 points.
His previous season highlight? 25 … Against the same kings. There may be something to this theory.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope also deserves special mention. The team’s opening shooting guard made a lot of mistakes for his shooting misery and reluctance to fly this season, but tonight was Bubble KCP’s return. Caldwell-Pope flies in the transition up and down the court and runs confidently to the corners, chasing tries instead of taking them reluctantly, a predator that feeds on the carnal gaps in the Kings’ sad defense. He finished the night with 13 points while shooting 4-7 from deep, and was far more striking than his statline would indicate with his activity.
With this win, the Lakers are now 31-18 on the season and still hold on to fourth place in the Western Conference despite their recent innings without LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Hot shooting or no, this team continues to fight, and that’s all anyone can ask of them during this time. It was quite a display of mental toughness, and the team deserves to be appreciated for their efforts, even if it is not always beautiful without the two stars they spin.
They are now heading back to Los Angeles for the second game of this seven-game “road,” in which they play the Clippers Sunday at Staples Center. The team will get rest on Saturday, an extremely necessary breather as Andre Drummond (show), Wesley Matthews (who left Friday’s game with a neck injury) and the rest of the team continue to recover.
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