After a dominant start in the Las Vegas Summer League, the Lakers are back at it on Saturday as they take on the Dallas Mavericks.
Start time and TV schedule
Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks
When: 7 p.m. PT, July 11
Where: Thomas & Mack Center
Watch: ESPN
Exactly a week ago, this Lakers team was blown out by the Golden State Warriors in their first game together. They looked lost on the court, and it didn’t seem like there would be much to be excited about for the summer.
Since then, though, they’ve bounced back significantly
and won three straight games, including a strong showing against the Oklahoma City Thunder. In the process, Cameron Carr has continued to shine, while Adou Theiro has found his footing after an up-and-down start.
The two have also received sufficient help, and in Friday’s win, it was the likes of Arthur Kaluma and Anton Watson who combined for 33 points.
It’s been a fun team to root for. This squad has the right mix of talent along with the requisite shooting, athleticism, height and two-way production to succeed.
And on Saturday, they have a chance to build on their success against a Mavericks team led by Morez Johnson Jr., whom Dallas selected at No. 9 in this year’s NBA Draft.
Dallas began the tournament with a loss to the Warriors, so look for them to be determined to bounce back in this one. They also have a roster that can really score, especially inside the paint. Look for Johnson to get most of the team’s touches and production going.
As for the Lakers, it’ll be interesting to see if they can maintain their overall production. Since their first game together, their ball movement has improved. Players know their roles and they seem to have a competitive game plan, at least based on how they’re playing. Hopefully it continues throughout the tournament for the Lakers.
If the Lakers win this game against the Mavericks, they’ll go up 2-0 and play two more games to determine if they advance to the semifinals. The goal is to win all games by as many points as possible since the point differential system impacts the team’s standing down the line.
Let’s see if they can win back-to-back games and keep their momentum going against the Mavericks on Saturday.
Notes and Updates
- In case you missed it, yes, the new Lakers signees are in Las Vegas and have shown support for the current summer team.
- There are no injuries to report at this time, and hopefully not for the rest of the tournament.
You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.
