Los Angeles Lakers
The 2022-23 Los Angeles Lakers can be defined by overcoming a 2-10 start, overhauling the roster at the trade deadline and making the Western Conference Finals — where they were ultimately swept by the eventual champion Nuggets.
What did we learn?
This season started off looking a lot like last season.
After a 2-10 record to begin the year, along with one of the worst shooting starts in NBA history, the Lakers were written off early by just about everybody.
But the Lakers would find their way.
AD turned into a monster, the Bubble AD version of old, wreaking havoc on defense and scoring in bunches in the paint. Over a 9-game stretch from Nov. 13 to Dec. 4, AD averaged 35 points, 15.6 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per night while shooting 64.8 percent from the field, capped off by 44 points against the Bucks and 55 points on the Wizards. A switch had been flipped.
Alas, the injury bug came calling for AD as it seems to always do, causing him to miss five straight weeks of ball until late January. Except for this time, the Lakers were able to stay afloat without him because LeBron was able to stay healthy during that stretch, averaging 35/8/8 while AD was out — absolutely ridiculous numbers for somebody in Year 20 of the most historic career.
Austin Reaves emerged as arguably the Lakers third best player this season. He was the exact type of guy they needed: a ball-mover that could get to the line, create offense and knock down open 3s. Reaves was third on the Lakers in win shares, just a shade behind LeBron.
Westbrook was better at times. He wasn’t great, but sometimes he was good. However, the Lakers’ season officially turned a corner at the trade deadline when they moved on from Russ and brought in D-Lo, Vando and Beasley. And the acquisition of Rui Hachimura before that was also huge.
Suddenly the Lakers had a fully competent roster with an assortment of players who could actually shoot and rebound and defend, complimenting Bron and AD in the best way. But just when AD was back from injury and the new-look Lakers were rounding into form, it was LeBron’s turn to go out for a few weeks with a foot injury.
Except again, the new-look Lakers were able to contend and win ball games without one of their shining stars. After the All-Star Break, the Lakers went 15-7 with the No. 13 offense and No. 6 defense. The opposite of last year, they were able to take care of a lot of the teams they were supposed to, and they were able to close out close games down the stretch.
LeBron returned for the final two weeks, and the Lakers finished the season winning 6 out of 7 games, carrying momentum into the Play-In game vs. Minnesota.
Against the Wolves, the Lakers were down by 15 but rallied to pull off the dub in OT behind 30 and 10 from LeBron, 24 and 15 from AD and 21 points off the bench from Dennis Schroder.
That Play-In dub meant the 7-seed and a first-round date with Memphis, who the Lakers rolled. Dillon Brooks poked the bear and the Lakers rallied around their Goat. LA blew the absolute roof off the Grizzlies’ doors in Game 6 by 40.
In the second round vs. the defending champion Warriors, the Lakers again flexed their size, depth and lineup flexibility, handling the Warriors in 6 games with another close-out win at home. LeBron has gone into many postseason battles against Steph, Klay and Dray, and this was another win for the King. Afterward, there were whispers that LeBron ended the pre-KD Warriors and now he has ended the post-KD Warriors, too.
However, in the Western Conference Finals (the Lakers were in the freaking Western Conference Finals!) the Nuggets with Joker and Murray’s two-man game were on another level. The Lakers were in every game, but they just couldn’t finish the Nuggets off. Jokic hit too many crazy shots. Too many Denver role players stepped up.
KCP had 21 points in Game 1. Aaron Gordon had 22 points in Game 4. Jokic (28/14/12) and Murray (33/6/5) put up staggering WCF numbers.
LeBron went for it in Game 4, scoring 31 points in the first half, his most in a postseason half ever, and he played all 48 minutes. But the Joker had another 30-point triple-double and the Nuggets’ firepower was too much. It was a clean 4-0 sweep.
LeBron and the Lakers play for championships, of course, but it’s important to remember that they went from last year’s embarrassment and a 2-10 start to this season all the way to the Western Conference Finals.
It was not the ending they wanted, but it was redemption all the same.
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Additional Notes
The Lonnie Walker Game. Game 4 of the second round vs. Golden State, Walker scored all 15 of his points in the fourth quarter to help the Lakers overcome a 10-point 4th quarter deficit.
The Rui Hachimura Game. Game 1 of the first round vs. Memphis, Hachimura led the Lakers in scoring with 29 points off the bench by way of 5-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc.
The Matt Ryan Game. He was eventually cut from the team, but on Nov. 2, Matt Ryan hit a game-tying corner 3 at the buzzer to send the game to OT. The Lakers beat the Pelicans in overtime for their second win of the season.
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Did our preseason Over/Under prediction hit?
After going through last year, and with Westbrook still on the roster… thought this was going to for sure be an Under, but fuck it. Laaaaakers. LAKERS! Over 45 wins.
Lakers 2022-23 record: (43-39)
Nope. Not quite, but it was close in the end.
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What’s Next?
With the No. 17 pick, the Lakers drafted Jalen Hood-Schifino from Indiana. KOC described JHS as a “big, cerebral guard who thrives as a playmaker from the midrange.”
That could be beneficial for the Lakers considering that D’Angelo Russell is a free agent, as well as Dennis Schroder and Lonnie Walker — and then Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura are restricted free agents.
Year 21 loading…
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