The Key Factors Behind the Lakers’ Recent Success
After losing six of their last seven towards the end of December, the Lakers closed out 2021 with a dominating 139–106 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. That momentum clearly carried into 2022 with wins over the Timberwolves (108–103 on Sunday) and Kings (122–114 last night). Now, with this three game winning streak under their belts, what has been clicking for the purple and gold as they enter a remarkably tough stretch in January?
First off, LeBron starting at center has unlocked a multitude of advantages on both ends of the floor, from defensive breakdowns by the opposition to sheer dominance by the King. “Small ball” has seemed to work out well for the Lakers, who now have an offensive rating of 118.1, a defensive rating of 110.9 and a net rating of 7.2 when LeBron is on the floor without another big man (e.g. Anthony Davis, Dwight Howard, and DeAndre Jordan). If you need more proof, this picture from Lakers Daily on Twitter speaks for itself.
LeBron is a do-it-all superstar, and a new dimension of his game was unlocked when the Lakers began using him at the five. The King’s abilities to bump bigs in the post and handle the ball like a guard have made him a formidable threat at any position, not to mention his fantastic playmaking skills. If any team decides to go man-to-man with LeBron at the 5, well…good luck.
Another main factor for the Lakers’ recent success has been the emergence of Malik Monk. Over his last six games, the uber-athletic Kentucky alum has averaged nearly 21 PPG, 2.8 RPG, and 2 APG while shooting 56.6% from the field, 45.5% from three and 90% from the free-throw line. Monk has also improved defensively, averaging 0.7 SPG and 1.2 BPG in that span as well. Last night, he put up 24 points (8–15 FG, 4–6 3PT) to go along with four rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block. He has been critical in crunch-time lineups and has meshed unbelievably well with LeBron; the duo currently boasts an offensive rating of 119.4 and a defensive rating of 113.1. They combined for 37 points in the fourth quarter of LA’s win over the Kings too. The 23-year-old is turning heads under the bright lights of La La Land, and he has shown that he deserves to be paid this offseason. Before he gets his money’s worth, however, he will need to continue being the bright spot for the Lakers this year, burning nets, bending rims and contributing to winning basketball.
Another Laker who has begun to play better with LeBron has been Russell Westbrook. So far, the nine-time All Star has averaged 19.5 PPG, 8.1 RPG and 8.1 APG in 39 games. For all his flaws, Russ has still made good contributions and has finally figured out how to effectively share the floor — and ball — with LeBron. This combination has been crucial as of late with AD’s absence. Before the start of the season, Westbrook — like his teammates — harped on the key theme of sacrifice; while his behavior may be hypocritical based on his late-game decisions and postgame comments, it appears that Russ has finally turned a corner at just the right time.
Last but not least, the rest of the Lakers’ supporting cast has shown out in their three-game winning streak. Talen Horton-Tucker finally broke out of his slump last night against the Kings, scoring 19 points (9–13 FG and 1–2 3PT) to go along with four rebounds and six assists. He’s either increasing his status or his trade value, but either way, it’s good to see him playing better. Stanley Johnson, originally brought in as a replacement player, has likely played his way into a guaranteed contract. In his first ten-day contract, the 25-year-old Arizona and Mater Dei High School alum averaged 6.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG and 1.4 APG along with 1 SPG. Known for his energy and effort, Johnson has been a defensive monster for the Lakers so far, and with confirmation from Dave McMenamin that he will be brought back on another ten-day deal, Laker fans have a lot to look forward to.
Additionally, Dwight Howard, who had been racking up DNPs with the new small-ball lineup, was back on the floor last night, scoring 14 points and grabbing 14 boards. He will continue to be a spark plug off the bench and start at the 5 when needed. Carmelo Anthony has served as a reliable sixth man for Frank Vogel, averaging 12.7 PPG on nearly 44% 3PT shooting in the Lakers’ last three wins; he’s currently averaging 13.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG and 1 APG on 42–39–79 splits. Melo has had multiple double-digit outings in the last week and has continued to hit big shots in crunch time. Finally, Avery Bradley has been playing better to kick off the new year, and with the potential to be rewarded with a guaranteed contract, it’s no surprise why. Bradley had 14 points against the Timberwolves on Saturday and followed that up with seven points, two rebounds, three assists and one block against the Kings. All in all, LA’s bench players have stepped up to the challenge very well so far, and even with the potential for further roster changes, they must continue to weather the storm to help the team succeed.
The Lakers have begun 2022 with a bang, from brand new lineups to rejuvenated role players. Though they will have an adverse January, facing the likes of the Nuggets, Jazz and Nets, it appears they are beginning to click at precisely the right time, and with Anthony Davis expected to return later this month, the LakeShow could be a scary sight for the rest of the league.
***NOTE: This article was updated Jan. 6, 2021, to include Carmelo Anthony’s contributions.
