Here is what you need to know before the Lakers tip off the year’s first road
game against the Phoenix Suns.
1) Lonzo will face another strong defender The first game of Lonzo Ball’s
career will largely be remembered for the way that First Team All-Defensive
selection Patrick Beverley brought his trademark aggression (and trash talk)
against the rookie.
Beverley refused to give Ball much breathing room, leading to a three-point
night for the second-overall pick on just 1-of-6 shooting. However, Lonzo did
add nine rebounds and four assists, while not allowing Beverley’s tactics to
speed him up or lose composure.
While elite defenders like Beverley are a premium in the NBA, Phoenix’s Eric
Bledsoe can certainly hold his own on that end.
Bledsoe is an impressive mix of muscle and speed, though Ball may be able to
take advantage of the other players that join him on the court.
Already an expert at exploiting his teammates’ mismatches, Lonzo should have
plenty of opportunities to pick at a defense that surrendered a league-high
113.3 points per game last year — provided he is able to hold his own against
Bledsoe’s pressure.
Lonzo Ball connects from distance for his first points in the league #LakeShow
(: TNT) pic.twitter.com/hGttPvP0el
2) The new starting frontcourt combination was successful on offense One of
the biggest storylines in training camp was which power forward — Larry Nance
Jr. or Julius Randle — would best pair with Brook Lopez in the starting lineup.
Nance got the call in Thursday’s season opener and made a strong case with 14
points — almost exclusively on dunks — and 12 rebounds. He worked well in
tandem with Lopez, who took a while to get going but finished as the team’s
scoring leader with 20 points.
Randle didn’t have as successful a time, ending with nine points and six boards
in 18 minutes. However, his chief struggle was the same as Nance’s: containing
Blake Griffin.
Lakers coach Luke Walton envisions Randle feasting on opposing second units, but
he spent a large portion of his night matched up against a five-time all-star.
Griffin put on an offensive showcase at the expense of both Randle and Nance,
piling up 29 points through a combination of dunks, drives and 3-pointers.
Griffin also hauled in 12 rebounds, but that was only half the total of center
DeAndre Jordan, who gobbled up misses whenever Lopez had to protect the rim
against a driving Clipper who had beaten his defender.
For this next matchup just 24 hours later, Phoenix will likely go small with
rookie Josh Jackson starting at power forward, while 17-year veteran Tyson
Chandler has shown still capable of holding it down at center after averaging
11.5 boards last year.
Larry Nance Jr. with the big put-back slam! #LakeShow (: TNT)
pic.twitter.com/Tj35z2Xsbg
3) Both teams are focused on leaving opening night in the past For all that
went wrong in the Lakers’ sloppy loss to the Clippers, the Suns were even worse
in their opener.
In fact, Phoenix’s 124-76 loss to Portland was both the largest loss in
franchise history and the biggest defeat ever by any team on opening night.
But underestimating the Suns’ firepower would be foolish for the Lakers.
Devin Booker is a flamethrower who dropped 70 on the Celtics last year in the
NBA’s highest-scoring night since Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game. Bledsoe and T.J.
Warren are vicious slashers that get to the foul line with ease.
And both squads are committed to playing an electric pace, which is exactly the
kind of setting that Ball thrives in. Look for him to find his groove in
transition in what should be a busy night for the scoreboard operator.
Injury Report Lakers: Josh Hart (left Achilles bursitis) is questionable. Suns:
Alex Len (left ankle sprain) is probable. Tyler Ulis (left quad contusion) is
questionable. Brandon Knight (left ACL tear), Alan Williams (right meniscus
repair) and Davon Reed (left meniscus repair) are out.
Tip-Off: 7 p.m. PT TV: Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes Radio: 710 ESPN
and 1330 KWKW Unis: Gold Location: Talking Stick Resort Arena — Phoenix,
Arizona
Click here to view game notes for this contest.
Larry can go get it
A post shared by Los Angeles Lakers (@lakers) on Oct 19, 2017 at 9:41pm PDT
Player: Lonzo Ball
Media Content: http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/171020-3-things-lakers-suns
Media Keywords: NBA, Sports, Los Angeles Lakers, Lonzo Ball, Los Angeles Lakers,
Phoenix Suns
Media Thumbnail:
http://i.cdn.turner.com/drp/nba/lakers/sites/default/files/171020-pre.jpg
Taxonomy: 3 Things to Know
Story Link: http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/171020-3-things-lakers-suns
