Lakers News: Watch LA Rehearsing Key Plays Ahead Of First Grizzlies Game
Could a Los Angeles Lakers beat reporter have uncovered a key insight into LA's game plan for its first playoff game against the Memphis Grizzlies?
The 43-39 Lakers, the West's seventh seed after beating the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier this week in a play-in game, are considered underdogs in their matchup against the second-seeded Grizzlies.
Despite that, Los Angeles has simultaneously been given better betting odds of winning the conference than Memphis. This is probably due in part to LA being healthier than the Grizzlies, who are down two key rotation players in starting center Steven Adams and reserve big man Brandon Clarke.
Jovan Buha of The Athletic caught two key Lakers who had big games in Minnesota, Anthony Davis and Dennis Schröder, rehearsing a variety of actions off pick-and-roll reads today.
Buha also captured Davis trying to finesse his shooting, which has taken a massive dip ever since LA's 2019-20 title-winning season.
Davis' shooting did improve toward the tail end of the 2022-23 regular season, but I think the Schröder-AD pick-and-roll prep could be more of a peak into where LA head coach Darvin Ham's head is in the build-up to the series.
Schröder was, by far, the third-most important Laker on the floor for LA during the club's Minnesota win. He came up clutch as a scorer, notching 21 points while shooting 5-of-12 from the floor (3-of-4 from three-point land) and 8-of-8 from the foul line, and as a defender for a Lakers club desperate for buckets after starter D'Angelo Russell fell flat (he went 1-of-9 from the field).
Clearly, the Lakers are optimistic that Schröder's postseason success can be sustained against the Timberwolves. Even if Russell does play better, there's a decent chance Schröder plays major minutes. And it's imperative to see Davis incorporated into the team's offense with one of its lead playmakers.
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