LOS ANGELES — No one remembers exactly what prompted the change.
Perhaps it was D’Angelo Russell who established himself as one of the best shooters in the league. Maybe the group just needed time to fully understand the five-out schemes that coach Darvin Ham implemented during training camp. Maybe it started with Rui Hachimura and relying more on key players from last season’s playoffs. Perhaps the players needed to sort things out after a difficult period between mid-December and early January. Maybe it’s a combination of all of the above.
But whatever the reason, the Lakers’ offensive turnaround in early January gave them a legitimate chance to not only make the playoffs, but continue a similar run to last season, when they reached the Western Conference final as the No. 7 seed.
With a 116-97 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena, the Lakers improved to 45-33 and moved into 8th place in the Western Conference, a half-game ahead of the 9th-ranked Sacramento Kings ( 44-33). For the first time since December 29, 2023, the Lakers are among the top eight seeds. They have won four games in a row and nine out of ten overall.
And it’s their offense, which ranks third in the NBA in points scored per 100 possessions since Jan. 7, that has turned their season around.
“We’re in a really good position,” Austin Reaves said. “It’s about climaxing at the right time.”
Since February 1 – the date of their fiery victory in Boston without LeBron James and Anthony Davis – the Lakers are 21-8, tied for the best record in the West with the Dallas Mavericks and the second-best record in the league behind only the Celtics (24-5).
Yet their progress is not reflected in the rankings. For months, the Lakers simply flip-flopped between 9th and 10th place with the Golden State Warriors. Even with their temporary ascension, there isn’t much time to relax, with the Kings facing the struggling Brooklyn Nets and the Lakers hosting the second-place Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.
“We’re laughing and saying, ‘Oh, winning nine out of 10,’ and we haven’t gone anywhere (in the standings),” Davis said. “So that’s how good the West is. But we have confidence, very confidence in our ball club and every time we step on the floor.
The Lakers trio of LeBron, AD and DLo led the charge in Los Angeles’ 4th consecutive victory as they now rank 8th in the West rankings!
LeBron: 24 PTS, 12 AST, 5 CER
AD: 22 PTS, 13 REB, 6 BLK
DLo: 28 PTS, 5 REB, 6 3 p.m. pic.twitter.com/Ei8h7egrQq-NBA (@NBA) April 6, 2024
Los Angeles had some excuses built in before Saturday’s game. It was the Lakers’ first home game after a grueling six-game, 11-day road trip, which can throw off a team’s rhythm – the Lakers were just 2-3 in the first game at home after a road trip of three or more games. Saturday’s 12:30 p.m. PT announcement also marked the Lakers’ first matinee home game of the season, a storyline that has plagued the Lakers’ rivals, the LA Clippers, for years.
But the Lakers came out energetic and focused, playing with stellar pace and moving the ball well against the Cavaliers’ sixth defense. After a rocky first quarter, Los Angeles used a 24-4 run to take a 16-point lead in the second quarter before ultimately leading by nine points, 65-56, at halftime.
The Cavaliers opened the second half with a 17-4 run to take a four-point lead, with the Lakers turning the ball over four straight times during one stretch. The hectic pace of Los Angeles has become reckless. But the Lakers regained their composure, with Davis and James reestablishing their presence at the rim with a few layups. They eventually responded with a 19-0 score to take control of the match.
Los Angeles’ defense has been struggling for months — the Lakers are 19th in points allowed per 100 possessions since Jan. 7 — but turned in one of its best performances of the season on Saturday. The Lakers held the Cavs to just 41 points on 39.5 percent shooting in the second half. Cleveland had as many turnovers (nine) as assists (nine). It was the second time in about two weeks that the Lakers held an opponent under 100 points, a rare feat in 2024.
In addition to Davis’ nine combined steals and blocks, Reaves hounded Donovan Mitchell, forcing him to shoot 2-of-7 as the primary defender. Spencer Dinwiddie and Gabe Vincent have also followed Mitchell, Darius Garland and Caris LeVert at various times. Mitchell and Garland, the Cavaliers’ All-Star backcourt, combined to shoot 15 of 38 from the field in one of the Lakers’ best efforts of the season.
“Once we’re defending, we’re getting stops, holding teams down, what we’re doing offensively is just through the roof, it’s hard to contain us,” Ham said. “And the defense helps the offense.”
Offensively, Russell led the way with 28 points (six 3s), including 23 points in the first half, his highest-scoring second half of the season. James had 24 points and 12 assists, taking advantage of Cleveland’s propensity to load the paint to find shooters and cutters. Davis had another masterful two-way performance with 22 points, 13 rebounds, three steals and six blocks.
Russell, who spent much of January and early February in trade rumors, has become the face of the Lakers’ transformation. Since January 7, he is averaging 21.6 points, including 44.4 percent shooting on 8.9 3-point attempts per game. At first it looked like he was using a heater for several weeks, but the weeks turned into months. Russell has now been one of the best 3-point shooters in the league for more than half the season.
“I think the guys just started making shots,” Ham said. “That always helps, doesn’t it?” I just need to start taking pictures. We generate a beautiful appearance. One thing we stressed on, you know, was pace, it was just about playing faster. I think at the beginning of the season, in the first two thirds of the season, the offense was bogged down a little bit, with a little too much iso ball at times, but we just continued to encourage the rhythm, the habits of play. running, sharing the ball, making quick decisions. . I think that’s what it’s about.”
This is partly true. Since Jan. 7, five Lakers rotation players are shooting at least 40 percent from 3 (James, Russell, Hachimura, Taurean Prince and Max Christie) and two others are above the league average of around 36 percent (Reaves and Dinwiddie). As a team, the Lakers rank second in the league in 3-point percentage over that span, although they are 30th in 3-point attempts per 100 possessions.
Ham’s decision to insert Hachimura into the starting lineup on February 3 also played a role in the offensive explosion. The Lakers are 16-6 since Hachimura became a full-time starter and 24-11 with him on the first unit this season. Since the formation of this group, the five starters have averaged at least 15.5 points per game.
“I think we’re just having fun,” Davis said. “I think we were too tense at the beginning. Everyone was trying to do the right thing, make the right play. You kind of start to question yourself because you’re trying to do the right thing. Now we just play freely. … We know each other’s games at this point. And no one complains or forms small groups like, “What do we do?” What are we doing?’ … We don’t hesitate at all. Guys, if you’re open, shoot the ball. We blame guys for not shooting the basketball.
With a game Sunday night against the Timberwolves, the Lakers have the opportunity to move closer to the seventh or eighth seed and push the Timberwolves further in the standings. If they can, it will increase their chances of avoiding the Denver Nuggets, who remain the favorites to land the No. 1 seed based on remaining strength of schedule. If the Lakers can stay in Game 7-8 and win that opener, they can possibly earn the No. 7 seed, face the Timberwolves or Oklahoma City Thunder, and keep the Nuggets on the other side of the Board.
But this is ultimately out of the Lakers’ control. All they can dictate is how they handle their final four games, then go from there using the confidence and offense they’ve been building for months.
“Take care of us,” Ham said. “That’s the most important thing. Everything else will work itself out; (we will fall) exactly where we are supposed to fall.
(Top photo: Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)