The Los Angeles Lakers won the inaugural NBA Cup last season. Commissioner Adam Silver had long hoped for an in-season tournament, and last year, it finally came to fruition. The Lakers went 4-0 in group play last year and then won three straight in the knockout rounds to hoist the trophy for the first time. Los Angeles began their title defense with a narrow victory against the San Antonio Spurs last week. They are now 2-0 and in control of the group after a 124-118 victory over the Utah Jazz.
Los Angeles Lakers Balanced Attack
The Los Angeles Lakers have relied heavily on the scoring of Anthony Davis and LeBron James this year. Both players were solid in the victory, with James scoring 26 points and Davis adding 26 points and 14. In order for this team to be successful, they need others to provide scoring. They got it on Tuesday night against the Jazz. Rookie Dalton Knecht went off in the third quarter, scoring 21 points in the frame. This was a part of a career-high 37-point performance. His nine made threes ties an NBA record for most by a rookie.
If Knecht can become a consistent contributor, the rest of the league will have a difficult time stopping this team. Historically, LeBron has done well on teams with players who can catch and shoot. The rest of the team didn’t score much, but they didn’t need to. Utah could never find a rhythm offensively until it was too late. Lauri Markkanen was the leading scorer with 25. The victory puts the Los Angeles Lakers in control of Group B in the NBA Cup.
2-0 In Group Play
The Los Angeles Lakers have never lost an NBA Cup game. After going undefeated last season, they are now 2-0 in group play this year. Granted, they have not played the better teams in the group. Games against the Phoenix Suns and Oklahoma City Thunder are upcoming, but the Lakers have taken care of business. Part of the reason the Lakers were able to take control of the group was because the Thunder lost to the Spurs on Tuesday. Instead of moving to 2-0 and tied with Los Angeles, they are now 1-1, tied with the Spurs and Suns.
The group becomes more interested in the Oklahoma City loss. Los Angeles is by no means the favorite, and it could easily drop one, if not both, in the next two games. It helps that both the Suns and Thunder are dealing with injurdies to key players. Phoenix is without Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant, which limits the potency of the offense. Oklahoma City lost Chet Holgrem and has had to rely on small ball lineups in his absence. The Los Angeles Lakers might be able to exploit that weakness with Davis. While there is still work to be done, the Lakers control their own destiny in NBA Cup group play.
Other Game Notes
There was a slightly scary moment in the third quarter for Lakers fans. Davis went down after a flagrant foul by Utah’s John Collins and had to go to the locker room. He returned to the court as Knecht hit his eighth three of the night and could be seen pumping up the crowd near him. The big man was apparently fine as he reentered the game. More than any other team, the health of their star players is paramount to their success. Davis has been on a tear this season, both offensively and defensively. They need him healthy if they are going to have a chance in the West.
Final Thoughts
It’s clear the Los Angeles Lakers get up for the NBA Cup games. This was the only game group play game this week, and they can now prepare for the massive showdowns in the last week of group play. They get Phoenix next Tuesday before taking on Oklahoma City next Friday. Can the Lakers keep their streak alive and make it back to the knockout rounds?
