NBA regular season continues with the Lakers, fresh off a major trade, hosting the league-leading Cavaliers! LeBron James faces his old team, ensuring no shortage of excitement!
In this game, two newly acquired players for the Lakers, Smith and Milton, will make their debuts! The performance of these new additions is highly anticipated! Vincent, however, will miss the game due to a strain.
Before the game, the Lakers announced their starting lineup, which remains unchanged with James, Davis, Hachimura, Reeves, and Christie. Finney-Smith is on standby as a substitute! On the Cavaliers' side, four key players—Mitchell, Garland, Allen, and Mobley—are all available to play.
The game began with the Cavaliers quickly finding their rhythm, while the Lakers struggled with a low overall shooting percentage. After Strus completed a 3+1, the Cavaliers led 27:14 in the first quarter. However, after the substitutes entered the game, the Lakers became more aggressive on both offense and defense. Smith and Milton made their debuts in this quarter and scored, ending the first quarter with the Lakers trailing 30:34.
In the second quarter, the Lakers' offense became more efficient, with James and Reeves delivering impressive offensive performances. The Lakers took the lead before Mitchell and Garland led the Cavaliers on a 7:0 run to regain the advantage. At halftime, the Lakers trailed 53:58.
The third quarter started with the Cavaliers once again taking the initiative. Garland and Strus hit consecutive three-pointers to extend the Cavaliers' lead, forcing a timeout from the Lakers. After the timeout, the Lakers gradually regained their footing and closed the gap, but their defense remained ineffective. By the end of the third quarter, the Lakers were down by 9 points!
In the fourth quarter, both teams had strong offensive displays, with the game remaining evenly matched. The Cavaliers maintained a lead of around 10 points, ultimately defeating the Lakers 110:122!
Post-game player ratings:
★ James, 9 points!!! He scored 12 points and grabbed 2 rebounds in the first half, playing very proactively on the court. He was decisive in his offensive drives and also had a good touch from beyond the arc!
★ Davis, 9 points!!! He had 11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block in the first half. Although his stats were decent, he struggled defensively against younger opponents and found it difficult to receive comfortable passes on offense.
★ Reeves, 10 points!!! He scored 16 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, and dished out 4 assists in the first half, making him the most outstanding offensive player for the team. Despite some turnovers, he had a variety of offensive moves and was quite efficient!
★ Hachimura, 5 points!!! He scored 3 points and grabbed 3 rebounds in the first half, shooting 1 for 6. He lost his offensive touch completely, with poor finishing ability. The addition of Smith put pressure on him!
★ Christie, 7 points!!! He had limited involvement in the offense but remained very active on defense, with an impressive steal!
★ Smith, 7 points!!! His defensive impact was noticeable, with good speed and strength. He scored the Lakers' first point through excellent off-ball movement but has yet to fully integrate into the team's offense!
★ Knickert, 4 points!!! He shot confidently on the court, not hesitating when opportunities arose, but his shooting accuracy was low.
★ Milton, 8 points!!! He hit his first three-pointer as a Laker in the first quarter. As a guard focused on defense, he was active on that end and also contributed well from beyond the arc.
★ Reddish, 5 points!!! He was very tough defensively, successfully guarding the tall Mobley, but his offensive performance was indeed disappointing!
