The new old Lakers are still in the running

Fresh air usually doesn’t harm anyone, especially when it’s deodorized. And in the Lakers they put the freshener of LeBron’s points record in, but once that bullet was spent what was left was a more complicated panorama. After playing in a stone’s throw, the goal was again complicated by several losses. Some of them are especially painful because they are against direct rivals (Pelicans, Thunder…) that are in for them right now. their end, They didn’t give the stature and coup needed that came from the offices. They have opened the windows and that fresh air has come in which they need today.

The Angelenos get a much-needed win from San Francisco, in a game that was missing two of the most important players of the last 20 years: Stephen Curry and LeBron James. The first hasn’t played for three games and it’s not known when he’ll return (they’ll test him again after the All-Star). The latter misses their second meeting after being beaten up by Kareem, although his foot problem does not appear to be serious. Without the two of them, all eyes turned to the introduction of new members to the Lakers. And especially towards the one with the past in both teams. D’Angelo Russell made his debut with the Angelenos and his reentry couldn’t have been better. The point guard finished the match, in which he played 35 minutes as a starter, with 15 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists, shooting 50% from the field. Correct numbers, not spectacular, but very positive emotions. “It’s been a bit weird but I’ve tried to normalize it. The sooner, the better. The irony with all your former teams shows when they transfer you so often, but you have to normalize it.” ,” the point guard explained.

Along with him, Jared Vanderbilt also made his debut, and being crucial, he scored 12 goals in 17 minutes off the bench, grabbed 8 rebounds and caught 4 basket passes. The one who wasn’t so successful in his first game with the Lakers jersey was Malik Beasley, who was 2/9 shooting (0/6 3-pointers) for 4 goals. Another new addition, Rui Hachimura, continues to show that his signing has been successful with 16 points and 7 rebounds in 31 minutes. Top scorer was Dennis Schroder with 26 points on a day in which Anthony Davis wasn’t very productive: 13 points, with 16 rebounds, yes, but with 26.3% shooting from the field. “D’Lo and I have been talking literally the whole game. About the pick-and-roll, what he saw, what I saw, what he likes, what I like… that chemistry needs to be created right away.” Trying”, the star gushes about his new partner.

Perhaps the most important thing about all of this is that without LeBron and with the more mundane David, the Lakers managed to win a game in which the Warriors, who miss Curry even more, beat them beautifully in the end. squeezed out. The part of the games in which the Lakers have stumbled so many times this year has lost count. not this time. This time they win Chase Center and are two games away from play-in and tonight are two and a half games away from their opponent, who without their star is more likely to lose than win in the coming dates.