Here is what you need to know before the Lakers take on the New York Knicks at
the World’s Most Famous Arena.
1) Class of ’14 stepped up once again Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle have
both taken huge strides the season. JC has established himself as a capable
second-unit point guard and off-the-bench bucket-getter, while Randle’s
abilities as a small-ball center have taken the team’s defense to new heights.
The draft classmates were at their best during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s
win over Charlotte, as the Lakers found success with the exact same play over
and over again.
Down by three with nine minutes left, Los Angeles suddenly broke out a 26-8 run
keyed by a simple high pick-and-roll between Clarkson (22 points) and Randle
(12).
That one play accounted for 12 points during that burst, as the Lakers succeeded
in their mission to exploit Charlotte center Dwight Howard’s subpar
pick-and-roll defense.
Howard often failed to contain Clarkson’s drive, resulting in a couple of
layups. When he did jump out at JC, he delivered Randle a smooth bounce pass for
an and-1.
And when the Hornets tried a more aggressive coverage against Clarkson, he hit
them with a behind-the-back dribble for an open 3-pointer.
While the two-man game was money in Charlotte, Clarkson and Randle will have a
much tougher time attacking the basket against the Knicks, whose defense is
anchored Kristaps Porzingis — a 7-foot-3 tower holding opponents to a
league-low 40.2 percent shooting at the rim.
2) KCP has found his rhythm from deep The Lakers’ 3-point shooting has seen
a much-needed uptick over the last three weeks, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has
been the head of that spear.
Over the last nine games, the first-year Laker is averaging 17.0 points while
hitting 3.0 3-pointers on a 44.3 percent clip.
Before this stretch, the Lakers were last in the NBA in both 3-pointers and
3-point percentage. During it, they are slightly above league average in both
categories.
KCP’s individual success has a lot to do with how the Lakers have used his
shooting capabilities.
Lately, they have been able to get him clean looks by running him through
gauntlets of screens. And Caldwell-Pope has made good by shooting 22-of-45 on
shots off those screens.
His 1.19 points per possession on such plays rank fourth in the NBA, trailing
only elite shooters: Joe Ingles, Kyle Korver and Stephen Curry.
Caldwell-Pope’s skill set is ideal for this type of action, as his tireless
motor and sharp route-running leave defenders stuck dodging bodies while his
clean shooting stroke finishes the play.
But coach Luke Walton also deserves plenty of credit for some especially
creative play designs. Look no further than the one below in which all four of
KCP’s teammates set him a screen on the same play, resulting in a triple.
3) The Unicorn can do it all Known as “The Unicorn” because of his
one-of-a-kind repertoire, Porzingis is one of the game’s premier two-way talents
at just 22 years old.
Offensively, he’s already a top-10 scorer averaging 25.5 points with a blend of
inside and outside production. The Latvian ranks third in post-up scoring
(thanks largely to a signature turnaround jumper), but can also stretch his
shooting out past the 3-point line.
Defensively, his rim protection is elite, and his 2.05 blocks are third-most in
the NBA.
In addition to Porzingis’ All-NBA-caliber play, the Knicks also have a couple of
notable vets.
Enes Kanter is averaging a double-double and constantly deflates defenses with
his top-shelf offensive rebounding. Courtney Lee is shooting career-highs from
about every spot on the floor.
Yet the Knicks are vulnerable from beyond the arc. While the Lakers’ shooting
has been heating up thanks to KCP, Clarkson and Kyle Kuzma, New York has taken
their place at the bottom of the NBA in made 3’s.
Plus, the Knicks’ leader in triples, Tim Hardaway Jr., is out, meaning the
Lakers have an even better chance to swing the game from long range.
Injury Report Lakers: None. Knicks: Tim Hardaway Jr. (stress injury, lower left
leg) is out.
Tip-Off: 4 p.m. PT TV: Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes in L.A. ESPN
nationally Radio: 710 ESPN and 1330 KWKW Unis: Gold Location: Madison Square
Garden — New York City, New York
Click here to view game notes for this contest.
Take an inside look at today’s practice in NYC
A post shared by Los Angeles Lakers (@lakers) on Dec 11, 2017 at 2:39pm PST
Player: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Player: Jordan Clarkson
Player: Julius Randle
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Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks
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