One step closer to the end. The Brooklyn Nets continued their west coast road trip with a matchup against the Golden State Warriors. Brooklyn tied the game late, but couldn’t bring the win home as the Warriors beat them 109-106. The losing streak is at nine.
The opponent tonight is a heck of a lot better than I anticipated. The Los Angeles Lakers are zooming along and could possibly go on a deep playoff run this spring. They helped the cause with a win against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.
LA sits in third place in the Western Conference standings.
Where to follow the game
YES Network on TV. WFAN on radio. Gotham Sports on streaming. Tip after 10:30 p.m. ET.
🤕 Injuries
The following are out:
- Egor Demin
- Michael Porter Jr
- Danny Wolf
- Day’ron Sharpe
Noah Clowney is probable. The three two-ways and 10-day Malachi Smith are all with the team and available.
Luka Doncic and Rui Hachimura are questionable. Marcus Smart and Adou Thiero are out.
🏀 The game
The Lakers won the first game.
Now this here is what you call DominAYTON. Deandre Ayton has turned in to a pretty solid option for the Lakers at center. About a month ago, it didn’t seem like we’d be here especially since Ayton felt like he was being used like Clint Capela. Things appear to be a lot better for the big guy since then and he’s shooting a career high 83 percent on shots inside of three feet. A rim running big with soft touch at the basket and someone that can post up a bit? Could come in handy this spring when possessions get tighter and baskets become harder to come by.
Nic Claxton figures to play around 20 minutes and he’ll see if he can make things tough on Ayton and keep the Lakers out of the paint.
Until The Announcement happens, we’ll be speculating as to LeBron James’ plans from season-to-season. For now, the old man figures to be playing next season and will likely continue on with the Lakers. It didn’t look that way recently, but things are going well. From Jacob Rude at Silver Screen and Roll:
With Luka firmly in his prime, they, too, will have title aspirations. But they don’t have to integrate LeBron into a system. They know how to play around and with him already. And they’re doing it at a high level right now.“
The athleticism may go, but the intellect and knowledge stays with you forever.
For James, it’s a matter of pacing himself and picking his spots. He’s the third option now, but he’s still LeBron James and you know that one play is all it takes for him to change the complexion of a game.
The last game of a road trip is always tough, especially when you’re facing a title contender. For the Nets, they have to make sure they stay within range early. Even though the Lakers come in to this game a bit shorthanded, they still have plenty of talent suiting up tonight so Brooklyn is at a disadvantage. One big run could wrap this up early and have everyone dreaming of getting some sleep in their own beds.
👀 Player to watch: Austin Reaves
With Doncic coming into this game a bit banged up, it’s a perfect opportunity for Reaves to scale up a bit. He’s more than capable of doing so and has saved the Lakers on many an occasion this season. His scoring and usage rate have gone up every season of his career and he’s maintained his efficiency in the process. Reaves can get his own shot, get to the rim, and is a foul drawing machine. That’s a perfect mix for the playoffs and he’ll be critical to LA’s dreams of making it back to the Finals.
Nolan Traore is back after getting a rest day on Wednesday. The season is almost done, but the dog days of the season still take its toll. Nolan’s had some struggles as of late and a rest day should help him out. He’ll be back in the starting five and figures to be good for at least 20 minutes tonight. Every game is a learning experience and a game against a contender will pay dividends in the long run.
📺 From the Vault
It’s Elite Eight time!
And since we’re in his city, it’s only right!
More reading: Silver Screen and Roll, SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Steve’s Newsletter
- Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
- Los Angeles Lakers Game Notes – Los Angeles Lakers
- Doncic leads Los Angeles against Brooklyn after 43-point performance – AP
- With nine games left, Nets have clear incentive to keep sliding in lottery race ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
- Is Luka Doncic playing tonight? Lakers vs. Nets injury report – Erik Slater – Clutch Points
