It came down to the wire at FedEx Forum on Saturday, where the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies met for their final matchup of the season. After a heartbreaking loss in Chicago on Thursday, the Lakers were looking for a win to set them straight for the upcoming playoffs.
The Lakers got off to a hot start in the first quarter, thanks to hot shooting off the bench. After taking an 11-point lead into halftime, the Lakers felt good about their odds until the third quarter came and flipped the game around. The Grizzlies scored 38 in the quarter and fought until the final minute to try and make a run. Of course, it wasn’t enough to prevent a Lakers win on hostile ground (134-127).
Austin Reaves was the game’s leading scorer with 31 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, and two steals on 50% shooting. Luka Doncic dropped 29 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists on 44.4% shooting. LeBron James dropped 25 points, six rebounds, eight assists, and three steals on 47.6% shooting.
For the Grizzlies, Desmond Bane finished with 29 points, four rebounds, and six assists on 66.7% shooting. Ja Morant (who made his return from injury) scored 22 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists on 39.1% shooting. Finally, Jaren Jackson Jr. contributed 24 points, four rebounds, and one assist on 61.5% shooting.
The Grizzlies are one of the deepest teams in the NBA, and Ja Morant’s return gave them a much-needed boost in the backcourt. Of course, it wasn’t enough to win the game in the end, thanks to several factors that have been an increasing theme for the new-look Lakers.
Austin Reaves Cannot Be Stopped
Austin Reaves went undrafted back in 2021, but now he’s outshining LeBron James and Luka Doncic in one of the most important games of the season. The young sharpshooter has been a major spark for the Lakers this season, and he carried them to victory again tonight against the Grizzlies.
In 37 minutes, Austin put up 31 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists on 50% shooting. With five three-pointers, Austin’s shooting kept the Lakers going all night, and he also managed to get to the free-throw line, going a perfect 10-10 at the charity stripe.
As the third option for the Lakers, behind LeBron and Luka, Austin Reaves is more than carrying his weight. His confidence and consistency on offense sealed the victory tonight and gave the Lakers another solid win this season.
Key Contributions Off The Bench
The Lakers may be top-heavy, they they have a stacked supporting cast that can keep up with the best lineups in the league. Tonight, while they got their usual scoring from the “big three,” the Lakers also got some action off the bench, going 10-deep in the seven-point win.
In the first quarter, it was Gabe Vincent who went off with 15 points, two rebounds, one assist, and one steal, including the one that iced the game. There’s also Dorian Finney-Smith, who went 4-9 in 34 minutes on the court. Beyond the starting five, the Lakers have plenty of options and can even turn the tide of games with their depth.
Tonight, the role-players provided just enough for the Lakers to escape with a narrow victory in the fourth quarter. If they can keep this up and show up consistently over an entire series, then LA could be poised to make a run deep into the NBA playoffs.
Lakers Offense Is Elite
Luka Doncic is still getting used to life as a Laker, but he’s already starting to get comfortable in his new surroundings. Just like he was in Dallas, Doncic is leading the offense both as a scorer and a playmaker with 29 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists on 44% shooting.
Between Doncic and Reaves, the Lakers went 21-22 from the free-throw line and 7-17 from three. Plug in young swingman Rui Hachimura with 13 points (5-8 from three), and the Lakers became impossible to contain. As a team, they shot 50.6% from the field and 44.2% from beyond the arc.
Tonight, the Lakers’ defense really dropped the ball and allowed the Grizzlies a lot of easy looks at the rim. They tried to go small and failed, but they were still able to outscore Memphis with more depth and shooting at nearly every position.
Following such a brutal defeat on Thursday, the Lakers wanted to ensure they could forget that game by taking a win on the road before their upcoming homestand. While the Lakers still have a lot of work to do, you have to be pleased with their effort tonight and it’s clear from their play over the past few weeks that they are s serious contender in the West.
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