Lakers beat writer Dan Woike’s 37 takeaways on the first 37 games.
Lakers, despite dip during Davis’ absence, are 24-13 after first half. Here are 37 observations from 37 games
In honor of the Lakers’ 24-13 record at the season’s halfway point, here are 37 random Lakers thoughts and observations, a chance to review what happened since their title defense tipped off in December. 1
Kyle Kuzma was asked last week about the first half of the season, and he called the 24-13 record “a win.” It’s hard to disagree with him. There’s ultimately been more good than bad during a stretch of games that really only matter so much. 2
The Lakers haven’t been shy when talking about the value they’re placing on these regularseason games. Dennis Schroder has a word for them — “practice.” 3
The reason the team can afford this approach — the defense is phenomenal and there’s seemingly enough offensive talent so the Lakers won’t be overrun in a playoff series. 4
Most of this is projection. Anthony Davis has to be better than he was during the first half of the schedule, when some scouts marveled at how inconsistently he performed. 5
Davis’ calf injury might end up being scarier than it sounds. The way the Lakers have spoken about the injury, tying it so closely to a four-week timetable, makes one think that it’s more about rest than it is anything else. 6
The biggest disappointment with Davis this season is how he’s backed off from becoming a threat from three-point range. 7
LeBron James has been playing at a most-valuable-player level, which makes sense because he’s probably still the best player in the NBA. In particular, his defense has largely been remarkable — an all-defensive team spot isn’t out of reach. 8
James’ minutes are a worry. No matter how much he says “tired” is a mind-set, it’s an unavoidable reality. 9
That being said, there’s no good reason not to trust James when it comes to how he handles his body. It’s his most valuable instrument, and he spends tons of time, money and energy to keep it well-tuned. The safe bet is on him being where he needs to be in the playoffs. 10
Kuzma’s playing the best basketball of his career — helping the Lakers win in a bunch of ways on a consistent basis. His contract extension this past offseason, in the eyes of rival scouts, is looking like a bargain. 11
Schroder has acclimated nicely as well and seems like he’s earned a new deal too. His energy has been valuable in a season largely devoid of emotion. But it’s worrisome that his three-point percentage has dipped along with his attempts. 12
The Lakers’ threepoint shooting, as a whole, has been disappointing. Some scouts think it’s a bigger need than acquiring help at center. 13
Speaking of centers, the Lakers need to figure out how to best utilize Montrezl Harrell. 14
Earlier this season, Harrell stayed on the bench because the Washington Wizards went too big. Against Phoenix, he stayed on the bench because the Suns went too small. Finding the “just right” matchups for him won’t cut it. He matters too much. 15
Defensively, it seems as if Harrell is not up to speed with what the Lakers want or need from him. Those problems look much worse with Davis not on the court. He can cover up for a lot of those errors. 16
Marc Gasol has not played as badly as his numbers suggest, but the intangibles provided by the veteran big man have not been valuable enough for the Lakers to feel comfortable at center. 17
Signing Andre Drummond, if he gets bought out of his contract in Cleveland, seems like the best option considering how little the Lakers have to trade. 18
Alex Caruso has played well enough in the first half of the schedule that he can reasonably expect to get the full midlevel contract exception from a team this summer. 19
Talen HortonTucker’s season has been uneven, but he’s by far the Lakers’ best trade asset.
And because of his free agency this summer, the Lakers are going to have to decide what the right number is for him and whether they want to pay it (hint — it’ll be pretty big). 20
Acquiring P.J. Tucker would make a lot of sense — his spot-up shooting and defensive flexibility make him an ideal partner with James. But does he offer Davis enough protection from banging with other physical centers? 21
Most scouts think the Lakers’ best option at center is already on the roster — Davis. It’s just not something he’s interested in doing full time. 22
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s season has been confounding. He’s looked perfectly at home in his role as a pace-pusher, spot-up shooter and competitive defender. But as his shooting has fallen off, so have the other areas in his game. Is there a way the Lakers maybe upgrade at shooting guard by the trade deadline? 23
Staples Center without fans is a weird place. 24
Markieff Morris has become a favorite with the media for his habitual truth-telling. He said he’s mentally drained. Guess what? The Lakers look like they’ve been mentally drained for a while. 25
A former NBA AllStar made this simple observation — despite their inconsistency and struggles, the Lakers are really the only team that went deep in the bubble and played relatively well in the first half of the season. 26
Damian Jones has definitely earned himself a second 10-day deal, but there is some skepticism here. If a young, bouncy center couldn’t figure it out with Stephen Curry, Trae Young or Chris Paul, how much is there left to learn? 27
This reporter will watch James’ “Space Jam” movie — but only out of professional obligation. 28
The Lakers have way too many uniforms to keep track of. 29
JaVale McGee would be a nice addition — he’s willing to sacrifice and gives the Lakers a dimension they miss without having to add a huge ego. I’ve heard there’s some interest, but McGee would need to be traded to another team from Cleveland and then bought out to be eligible to sign with the Lakers. 30
It’s not just that the Lakers have struggled some — the NBA is better as a whole with teams such as Brooklyn, Utah, Philadelphia and the Clippers all looking like legitimate threats to the Lakers’ title. Not sure about Phoenix’s chances, but the Suns have played great too. 31
While you cook up fake trades in the next few weeks, the key is to try to figure out who the active sellers might be. Teams to check on — Orlando (maybe Terrence Ross?), Toronto, Cleveland, Chicago, New Orleans and Sacramento. But it’s going to be tough for the Lakers to do something significant. 32
There just aren’t a ton of players who would upgrade the Lakers’ roster and make the salaries in a trade match while also being undervalued by the team trading them. And it’s not like the Lakers have picks to trade. 33
If James and Davis are both healthy, the Lakers should be the favorites in the Western Conference, but they’d be underdogs against a healthy Brooklyn team. 34
If the Lakers are able to get healthy, expect them to recapture some rhythm and maybe work their way back into the top third in offensive rating. They’re not as good as they played at the start of the season, but their situation is not as bad as it appeared over the last month. 35
The All-Star break might be the most important week of the Lakers’ regular season. 36
Credit to coach Frank Vogel for keeping the Lakers so engaged on defense while continuing to keep an eye on big-picture goals. It’s a lot easier for a team to focus on offense, especially when tired. The Lakers have fought hard against that, despite a few clunkers of late. 37
It’s hard to believe the regular season is only halfway done.