In order to enhance the team's competitiveness and give James another chance to compete for a championship in the twilight of his career, the Lakers completed a trade in the middle of the season, sending Russell away in exchange for Finney-Smith to bolster their frontline strength. On this game day, the two teams that completed the trade, the Lakers and the Nets, faced each other directly. Russell returned to Los Angeles to lead the Nets against his former team, the Lakers. After the game started, the Lakers, led by James, once established an 11-point lead. Although Russell helped the Nets overtake in the second half, Reeves' hot hand allowed him to score the highest points in the game, and the Lakers eventually defeated the visiting Nets 102-101!
【Game Highlights】
The Nets, who are in the rebuilding phase, have the most important goal this season to aim for high draft picks while training young players with potential. However, all teams will pay the price for growth. In the previous away game against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Nets suffered a crushing defeat by 59 points.
However, in this game, Anthony Davis, the core of the Lakers' interior, missed the game due to plantar fasciitis, greatly reducing the strength of the Purple Army. Russell, returning to his old stomping grounds, also saw the hope of a surprise away victory.
【Game Review】
Although Russell did not start in this game, he was still the best performing player on the Nets. After coming off the bench, he took on both scoring and organizing against the Lakers' targeted defense. With 15 shots and 7 goals, he contributed 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists, but unfortunately missed the last shot to kill his old club.
Under his leadership, the Nets showed a completely different spirit from the previous away game against the Clippers. Relying on five players scoring in double figures, they overtook the score in the fourth quarter after trailing by double digits, seeing the hope of a comeback victory. However, in the decisive moment, no one could step up, causing the Nets to lose in Los Angeles.
With Davis out, the 40-year-old LeBron James took on the offensive responsibility. After four quarters, he scored 29 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks with an efficient output of 12 out of 17 shots, but among the starting five, Hachimura, Hayes, and Christie were wildly missing shots, making it extremely difficult for the Lakers to win at home. Especially Christie, who took 13 shots but only made 2, repeatedly wasted the open shooting opportunities created by James after drawing double teams, dragging the team back, which was also an important reason why the Nets were able to make a run in the second half to narrow the gap.
Fortunately, James had Reeves in this battle. When James was double-teamed by the Nets, Reeves became the Lakers' most stable scorer, scoring 12 points alone in the second quarter. In the fourth quarter during the tight score, Reeves could also stand up and hit key shots, scoring 15 points in a single quarter, contributing significantly to the Lakers' victory at home. At the end of the four quarters, Reeves scored the highest points in the team with 38 points on 13 out of 23 shots.
After narrowly defeating the Nets at home, the Lakers will have a day of rest before heading to the away game to face the Los Angeles Clippers in the city derby. We look forward to Anthony Davis' quick return to help the Lakers achieve a satisfying outcome in the L.A. derby.