A valiant and fun first half effort couldn’t be replicated in the 2nd half as the Lakers fell to the Cavaliers 114-100 on Sunday afternoon. After a very good, yet foul prone, defensive performance paired with a 1st half season high 64-point output gave the Lakers a six-point cushion after 24 minutes, the team only managed 36 points in the final two frames, which dashed their hopes and dropped them to 2-7 on the season.
While there is no shame in succumbing to the Cavaliers’ 2nd ranked defense, the Lakers would surely want some of those 2nd half offensive possessions back as they struggled to knock down some of the same shots they hit earlier in the game, while also turning the ball over eight times – six of which came in the pivotal 3rdquarter where the Lakers were outscored 29-16.
Post-game, Coach Ham spoke openly about his team’s play in the 3rd quarter, noting the Lakers’ spirit “seemed to have left the building” enroute to ceding control to Cleveland. It’s difficult to pinpoint any one thing that triggered this, but rather it being a cumulative effect of the Cavs’ aggressive offensive approach and improved defensive focus that allowed them to seize control of the contest back.
From an individual perspective, the Lakers were led by LeBron James’ 27 points on 13-23 shooting from the floor, to go along with his 7 rebounds and 4 assists. LeBron, looking more recovered from the virus that has swept through the team this past week, thrived in transition and showed great ability to create scoring chances on power drives and good finishes around the basket.
In the half court, he played with good force out of his post ups, leveraging his strength advantages to get into the paint for buckets. Late in the game he also connected on a 3-pointer, his first made shot from beyond the arc in his previous 15 chances.
It was also another strong night from Russell Westbrook off the bench, particularly in the 1st half. Playing with excellent burst and energy, while also showing great balance between aggressively attacking the paint and shooting the long ball, Westbrook finished with 19 points on 6-13 shooting, including going 3-5 from beyond the arc. His 10 assists led the team, though those were countered with his 7 turnovers.
Overall, however, this game was defined by the Cavs taking control in the 3rd quarter, carrying that through the final quarter as well, and the Lakers inability to string together enough quality possessions on either side of the ball to keep pace. Against a team of Cleveland’s quality, the Lakers needed to be able to hang their hat on at least one side of the ball to stay connected, but as Cleveland found ways to hit shots, the Lakers weren’t able to create the types of transition and early offense chances that helped them gain a foothold in the 1st half.
While that didn’t happen vs. the Cavs, with another game on Monday in Utah, the Lakers will have a chance to bounce back.