The one word never associated with the Lakers: boring.
On and off the floor, the Lakers keep it interesting, from unique skill sets and backgrounds to off-court chemistry and the latest kicks.
Here’s a quick run-through of another week with the Lake Show.
1) Randle dealing dimes
Julius Randle’s assertion as the focal point of the Lakers’ offense has been well-documented. Since the All-Star Break, he is one of just six players in the NBA averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.
While his scoring and rebounding have received deserved praise, Randle’s passing can oftentimes go under the radar.
Randle has been a beast in the post lately, which draws from his understanding that few players can handle his strength when he decides to be physical. He has also shown intelligence since opponents have started throwing double teams his way.
He has a knack for backing down his man, while monitoring the rest of the floor for an opposing defender to grow overly concerned with Randle in the post.
When the help defender finally commits to doubling or falls asleep on the weak side, Randle consistently finds an open shooter or cutter. Over his last 19 games, Randle’s 19 assists off post-ups are second in the league, trailing only veteran post Maester Zach Randolph.
2) Kuz playing with the sliders up
Kyle Kuzma has snapped out of a two-month shooting slump that saw him hit just 38.6 percent from the field and 31.8 percent on 3’s from post-Christmas through early March.
Over his last two games, those clips have ballooned to 48.9 and 38.9 percent, respectively, as he has once again found his knack for tough shot-making — something that became one of his hallmarks early in the season.
Just a rookie, Kuzma already has a veteran feel for how to make something out of nothing.
In his last two appearances alone, he has provided:
- A Eurostep layup
- A crunch-time hook shot on the move
- An and-1 hook shot after a crossover
- A drifting jumper while falling to the ground
3) Future analyst Josh Hart
A fractured hand has Josh Hart left in Los Angeles during the current road trip, but the rookie is keeping busy.
On Monday, he guest starred on ESPN’s “SportsNation” in Downtown L.A. before hustling back to El Segundo in order to join the studio coverage for the Lakers’ game on Spectrum SportsNet.
Hart provided insight on several fronts, but his biggest contribution may have been his impression of Brook Lopez petitioning for a foul call.
4) Brook getting in on the switching
Lopez might have gotten roasted by his own teammate, but the same can’t be said for opponents.
Other teams have tried to find mismatches in the Lakers’ switch-heavy defense, and Lopez — a 7-footer not known for his wheels — would seem like a likely target.
But Lopez has been surprisingly good staying in front of guards and wings, and is about league-average when it comes to isolation defense, according to NBA.com data.
Lopez survived a couple of possessions when switched onto the most dominant player in the world, LeBron James, and recently won a dance-off with dribble-happy Lance Stephenson, who was forced to pass the ball after failing to shake off the Lakers’ center.
5) Welcome back, Riles
It has been 28 years since Pat Riley was the coach of the Lakers, but you wouldn’t know that given the roar from the STAPLES Center crowd when he was shown on the video board during his recent visit with Miami.
A member of the Heat organization since 1995, Riley nonetheless received a hero’s welcome in Los Angeles.
Winning four championships for the Lakers isn’t something fans tend to forget.