It was a possible preview in the NBA Finals, although superstars were sidelined with injuries on both sides. But nonetheless, Dennis Schroder, waiting for the Los Angeles Lakers, called LA’s clash with Brooklyn Nets at 126-101 Saturday “the best win of the year.”
The Lakers play without stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, as well as Kyle Kuzma (left calf), Wesley Matthews (right Achilles), and Marc Gasol (left thigh muscle), but they lead the Nets by as many as 28 points to win for fifth. times in their last eight games.
“Like I always said, all season, when we play tight on the defensive side, we always have a chance,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said after LA shot Brooklyn with 43.5 percent and his lowest points total. in eight games. “I’m very proud of our group.”
Not that Brooklyn was also at full strength, with James Harden (right leg) and Kevin Durant in a few minutes’ restriction in his second game due to an extended thigh muscle injury. On top of that, Kyrie Irving succeeded in the third quarter with Schroder in it, and two were sent off.
However, the Lakers made contributions across the board, with eight players peaking at the season, scoring double figures, and the team tied for a season-best 19 points. In addition, Talen Horton-Tucker had a career-high 11 assists, Alfonzo McKinnie had a season-high nine rebounds, Markieff Morris stole a season-high try and Ben McLemore made five 3s in just his second game with the team.
“I learned a lot from today’s game that we have a lot of guys in this locker room who’s very tough,” Andre Drummond said. He has had 20 points and 11 rebounds in his strongest game since joining LA from the buyout market last month. . “Despite who’s on the other side of the court, they’re going to come out and play. No matter how many minutes guys play, they’re going to play to the best of their ability. And we’ve had fun. We had a lot of fun tonight. to play and to achieve this victory. ‘
Drummond sure looked like he was enjoying himself when he pressed LaMarcus Aldridge halfway through the third quarter. Drummond made a foul when he bullied him to the hoop and then in celebration dropped his hand below his knees, signaling that Aldridge was too small to protect him.
“It was a good basket,” Drummond said laughing. “It’s my signature that I do when I get points on people and get an and-1, so nothing intentional towards LaMarcus. It’s just what I do. It does not matter who is there.”
That was apparently all that happened to LA after the run-up between Irving and Schroder, with an extended run of 57-33 from that point until there were only a few minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Irving, a 10-year veteran, and Schroder, an eight-year-old pro, entered the best time and each played more than 500 career games without an ejection. That changed for both in the third quarter.
The pair of point guards exchanged words after Irving was asked for a personal offense on Schroder with 9 minutes, 41 seconds left in the third quarter and the Lakers ahead 66-62, who asked referee Zach Zarba to separate the two. and issue a double technical violation. – one for each player.
Irving and Schroder kept pooping after teammates intervened when Irving was asked by referee Tyler Ford for a second technical foul, which resulted in an automatic ejection. Schroder was given a second technical foul of his own shortly afterwards by his referee Jason Goldenberg.
“I think it was unnecessary,” Schroder said after the game. “It’s just a shame I left my team out there on their own. And I mean I did not really do it, I do not even know what I did. But I was kicked out and I apologized to my teammates for it. asked.”
Zarba then explained the officials’ decisions to a pool reporter.
“After the first technical fouls, both players were warned to keep going,” he said. “And when Irving could not stop shouting at Schroder, he was then judged and expelled for his second technical offense. And if you look at Irving’s video, Schroder waves goodbye to him in a defiant manner, and that’s why he a second technical offense was imposed and expelled. ‘
Irving did not speak to reporters after the loss and left it to his teammates to explain what happened.
“We were in the game, but I’m not going to blame it on the ejection why the momentum shifted,” said Durant, who scored 22 points in 24 minutes but also had eight times. “They got it going, so we should have got it going.”
The win set the Lakers record at 2-1 on their current five-game East Coast away run.
“If you see guys out there and see a big opponent like the Nets, you can be a little overwhelmed and not sure if you’re going to have a chance to win it. But you want to do the following – art’s mindset, said Vogel. “And we knew we were getting in that if we could beat this opponent, that would feel good and that it would be one of the best wins of the year.
“We are happy about it.”