Postgame Numbers

Here is a by-the-numbers look at the Lakers’ 122-99 loss in the season finale against the  Sacramento Kings.

3
Kings that scored at least 19 points. Ben McLemore led the way for Sacramento with 24 points on 9-for-18 shooting with seven assists. Meanwhile, Derrick Williams collected 22 points and six rebounds off the bench, and Ray McCullum pitched in 19 points and six assists.

10
L.A.’s deficit after one quarter. The Kings took a 33-23 lead by shooting 13-for-27 (48.1 percent) in the opening period. Though the Lakers held their own offensively by going 9-for-22 (40.9 percent), McLemore alone scored 10 points (4-for-7) in the first quarter.

19
Points scored by Jabari Brown in the third quarter. The rookie exploded out of halftime, shooting 4-for-5 from the field and hitting all three of his 3-pointers, plus each of his eight free throws. Brown finished the night with a career-high 32 points on a 9-for-19 clip. Brown — who had only three points at halftime — joined Kobe Bryant as the only Lakers to score more than 30 in a game this season.

“I had a really bad first half,” Brown said. “I just had to regroup and just try to take good shots, so I was able to get to the (free throw) line. I think that kind of got me going.”

38.3
Percentage shot by the Lakers. The purple and gold struggled to find rhythm, going just 36-for-94 from the field and finishing with 10 fewer baskets than the Kings on 10 more shots. With only eight healthy players, the Lakers were stretched thin, as guards Brown (9-for-19) and Vander Blue (6-for-23) played all 48 minutes. Only Tarik Black (2-for-3) shot better than 50 percent, while his fellow frontcourt starters — Ryan Kelly and Jordan Hill — combined to shoot 9-for-26, and the bench went 10-for-23.

“We were shorthanded, and the backcourt wasn’t what I expected it to be,” head coach Byron Scott said. “So I guess we got pretty much what we were going to get with the guys we had to put out there. I didn’t think our guys in the first half competed as well as they could have, for whatever reason.”

58
Points scored by Sacramento in the paint. The Kings outscored L.A. by 18 points in this area, as McCallum (14) and McLemore (10) each scored double figures in the key. The Kings shot 29-for-44 (65.9 percent) in the paint, while the Lakers went just 20-for-48 (41.7 percent).

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Postgame Numbers: Lakers vs. Kings (4/15/15)

Here is a by-the-numbers look at the Lakers’ 102-92 loss to the Sacramento Kings.

1
L.A.’s deficit with 4:27 left. However, the Kings then went on a 13-2 run to secure the double-digit victory. From this point on, the Lakers missed all five of their shots from the field, while Omri Casspi scored seven points on his own for Sacramento.

“We couldn’t hit shots,” said Ed Davis, who had seven points and 14 rebounds. “They were scoring. Casspi had a good game for them. (Derrick Williams) had a good game. And we just couldn’t get stops.”

8
Free throws made by L.A. The Lakers took as many foul shots combined as Casspi (10-for-13) did on his own. Meanwhile, Sacramento — which averages the league’s most free throw attempts (29.0) and makes (22.2) — shot 28-for-36 at the line.

“Our emphasis early on in the game was that they don’t have shot blockers, and we wanted to continue to attack the paint,” Kings head coach George Karl said. “Omri is big-time there. I think we won the game with the backdoor cut out of the corner.”

26
Points scored by Casspi. The six-year-veteran poured in the second-most points of his career thanks to his success from the field (7-for-14) and on free throws. Casspi — who had 15 points in the second half — also hurt L.A. in other areas with nine rebounds and six assists.

47
Minutes played by Jordan Clarkson. The rookie nearly played the entire game but exited with 49 seconds left due to an injured ankle. Prior to this late departure, Clarkson was having yet another solid game, as he led the Lakers with 23 points on 10-for-21 shooting. Meanwhile, the 22-year-old also collected six assists, five rebounds and a career-high five steals.

96
Shots taken by the Lakers, which were 24 more than the Kings. L.A. had a 17-5 advantage on the offensive glass, which was a big reason for the shot disparity. However, the Kings did not fold because of this, as they shot 48.6 percent (35-for-72) from the field and nearly tripled L.A.’s free throw attempts.

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Postgame Numbers: Lakers at Kings (4/13/15)

Here is a by-the-numbers look at the Lakers’ 120-106 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

19
Rebounds grabbed by Tarik Black. The 23-year-old topped his previous career high by eight boards, becoming the first rookie Laker to haul in that many since Leroy Ellis in 1963. Black snagged only one rebound in the first quarter before tallying nine in the second on his way to setting a new NBA season-high for rookies.

“I just saw the ball coming off the board and paid attention to all of them,” Black said. “I saw that our game was slow rebounding, and I knew we had to step up the effort, so that’s what I did.”

20
Minutes played by Wesley Johnson, who did not play in the second half due to a sprained left ankle. Johnson’s loss was a big one for the Lakers, who do not have another healthy small forward on the roster, which forced Ryan Kelly to fill in for the majority of the game. Johnson was on track for one of his best games this season, churning out 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting, including four 3-pointers, in the first half. Meanwhile, Dwight Buycks suffered a fractured third metacarpal on his right hand, ruling him out for the season’s final two games.

26
Points scored by Jordan Clarkson. Black’s fellow rookie had another explosive night, leading all players in scoring by shooting 9-for-19 from the field and 3-for-6 from beyond the arc. Clarkson carried the load for L.A. in the second half, scoring 18 points, while knocking down each of his three 3-point attempts.

“If you look at his numbers, they were pretty good,” head coach Byron Scott said. “But I got on him a couple of times about running the team. He’s got to be a little more vocal at times. Defensively, he did a good job of laying off (Rajon) Rondo and trying to help.”

54
Points scored by Dallas in the paint. The Mavericks enjoyed a 16-point advantage in the key, where they shot 27-for-45 (60.0 percent). Tyson Chandler powered Dallas down low, scoring 16 of his team-best 20 points in the paint.

“(Chandler) is one of the real big-time difference-makers in this league,” Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle said. “When he is healthy, there are few guys that are better at what he does, if any. It’s great to see him moving the way he is right now.”

64.7
Percentage shot by the Mavericks in the fourth quarter. The Lakers entered the final period down by seven, and Dallas did not let them back into it. L.A.’s deficit swelled to as many as 18 points, as the visitors shot 11-for-17 to outscore the Lakers, 31-24, in the fourth.

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Postgame Numbers: Lakers vs. Mavericks (4/12/15)

Here is a by-the-numbers look at the Lakers’ 106-98 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

5
Lakers in double figures. The entire starting lineup scored at least 10 points, as L.A.’s starters poured in 73 of its points on 33-for-74 shooting. Along with Ryan Kelly (below), a trio of Lakers put on strong performances. Jabari Brown pitched in 20 points, while Jordan Clarkson tallied 18. Meanwhile, fellow rookie Tarik Black set a career high with 18 points of his own on an 8-for-9 mark.

“I was just in awe with watching (Clarkson and Brown) blossom right in front of my eyes,” Black said. “I know I’m a rookie as well, and I’m treating them like an older brother or a 10-year vet. But it kind of feels like I am, just watching them come into their own and establish themselves at this level.”

21
Points provided by Kelly. The sophomore recorded his highest scoring total of the season by going 7-for-12 from the field, including 5-for-6 from beyond the arc. Kelly did most of his damage early, scoring 10 first-half points and adding nine more with three triples within the first five minutes of the third quarter.

29
Points scored by Andrew Wiggins. The Rookie of the Year candidate pushed Minnesota as far as he could by shooting 7-for-15 from the field and a career-best 15-for-16 on free throws. The 20-year-old did more than just score, as he also pitched in 10 rebounds and six assists.

35
Assists from the Lakers, which were a season high. L.A. recorded a dime on all but six of its baskets, as three Lakers had seven or more, including Clarkson, who led the way with nine. Three players also set a new career high in assists: Brown (seven), Kelly (seven) and Dwight Buycks (six).

“We’ve been trying to preach this all season long,” head coach Byron Scott said. “When you don’t have a dominant player, you have to move the ball. … You have to move your bodies. You have to sets screens. You have to do all the little things that get you some easy buckets and easy shots.”

61.3
Percentage shot by the Lakers in the first quarter. The purple and gold set the tone early by going 13-for-21 in the opening period. Led by nine points from Clarkson and eight from Kelly, the Lakers scored 30 in the first quarter. Ball movement was the key from the beginning, as L.A. had an assist on every basket except one.

“I thought in the first quarter we moved the ball about as well as we’ve moved it all season long,” Scott said. “I thought a lot of that had to do with Ryan. We were swinging it to him. He did a great job swinging it and running our pick-and-rolls, so we had good ball movement.”

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Postgame Numbers: Lakers vs. Timberwolves (4/10/15)

Here is a by-the-numbers look at the Lakers’ 119-101 loss to the Denver Nuggets.

3
The Lakers’ lead with 9:27 left in the third quarter. However, from there the Nuggets went on a 35-8 run to take a 93-69 lead. During this outburst, Denver shot 14-for-17 from the field led by 14 points from Kenneth Faried. On the other side, the Lakers went 3-for-13 and committed five turnovers, while forcing zero from the Nuggets.

“Offensively, we started to pound the ball instead of move the ball like we did in the early part of that third quarter,” head coach Byron Scott said. “I thought we got kind of selfish as far as trying to do it on our own. We can’t do that.”

40
Points scored by the Lakers’ bench. Ed Davis, Robert Sacre and Dwight Buycks came off the pine and combined to shoot 15-for-24 from the field. Davis added a game-high 12 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season, while Sacre added nine boards of his own and Buycks scored a career-best 15 points.

52
Paint points scored by Denver. The Nuggets outscored the Lakers by 12 in the key by shooting 26-for-43. Faried lived up to his “Manimal” moniker in the paint, where he racked up a game-high 20 points.

54
Points scored by L.A. in the first half. Though they headed into the locker room trailing by four, the Lakers played successfully on the offensive end by shooting 19-for-40 (47.5 percent) from the field. Ryan Kelly led the way by scoring 13 of his 17 points over the first two quarters.

93
Points scored by Denver’s starters. The Nuggets’ starting five outscored L.A.’s by 32 points, as Faried and Danilo Gallinari took control of the game. Faried shot 10-for-14 to pour in a season-high 29 points, while also collecting 11 rebounds. Meanwhile, Gallinari scored 27 points by shooting 9-for-19 and tying a Lakers opponent season-high with seven made 3-pointers.

“They went on that run (and) we really couldn’t bounce back from that,” Davis said. “They had some guys going. Faried had it going. Gallinari had it going. And Ty (Lawson) was running the show, so we really just couldn’t get back into it.”

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Postgame Numbers: Lakers at Nuggets (4/8/15)

Here is a by-the-numbers look at the Lakers’ 105-100 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

1
The Lakers’ deficit with 4:59 left in the game. The purple and gold used a 14-6 run to cut the Clippers’ lead down to 89-88, but that was as close as they would get. The Clippers immediately responded by scoring eight unanswered points. From there, it was a free throw fest as they never surrendered that lead.

11
Fast-break points scored by the Lakers. The Clippers’ success in transition was one of the key factors in their victory, as they outscored the Lakers by 16 points on fast-breaks. The Clippers also had 15 fast-break shots, while the Lakers took just six.

26.3
Percentage shot by the Lakers in the second quarter. After keeping within two points in the first period, the Lakers were outscored 27-18 in the second. This stemmed from a 5-for-19 mark from the field, which included misses on all three of their 3-pointers. On the other end, the Clippers shot 9-for-18 to begin pulling away.

27
Points scored by both Blake Griffin and J.J. Redick. The duo combined for more than half of the Clippers points, as Griffin shot 11-for-20, while Redick went 9-for-14. Griffin pieced together a strong all-around performance by adding seven rebounds and six assists. Redick, meanwhile, jumpstarted the Clippers’ offense by providing 14 of their 23 first-quarter points.

“When the ball is moving, J.J. gets shots,” Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said. “There is no doubt. When it is not moving, he does not get shots. I think what our guys are doing every night … (is) when he gets it going, then they make sure he gets shots. They do that through ball movement, and I was really happy to see it.”

61
Points scored by the Lakers in the second half. Coming out of the locker room down by 11, the Lakers managed to outscore their opponents by six over the final two quarters. Over this stretch, the Lakers’ shooting started to spark, as they went 21-for-38  (55.3 percent) from the field and 7-for-12 (58.3 percent) on 3-pointers. Wesley Johnson led the charge by tallying 13 of his 15 points in the second half, while Jordan Clarkson pitched in half of his team-best 20 points.

“They are heading back to the playoffs this season,” Clarkson said. “I just tried to play more aggressive this game. Chris (Paul) is probably the best point guard in the game right now. He, Russell (Westbrook) and Steph Curry are all up there. It’s always a good test to compete with the best.”

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Postgame Numbers: Lakers at Clippers (4/7/15)

Here is a by-the-numbers look at the Lakers’ 106-78 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

16
Points scored by the Lakers in the first quarter. The purple and gold got off to a lackluster start, shooting just 8-for-21 and missing all six of their first-quarter 3-point attempts. The Clippers, meanwhile, went 9-for-20 to take a seven-point lead after one frame.

27
Assists dished out by the Clippers. Chris Paul led the way with 15 dimes, which fell one short of the most by a Lakers opponent this season. Paul, who leads the league with 10.2 assists per game, also handed out four secondary assists. Meanwhile, the Lakers had 17 as a team.

“There are a few guys out there with the ability to do that, and (Paul) is one of them,” Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said. “But he knows it and he controls it. He knows what’s going on. He has a feel for the game. He can see other guys wanting to shoot and score today.”

34
Points scored by the Clippers in the third quarter. The Clippers already held a 13-point halftime lead when they posted a 34-18 third period. During this frame, they hit two-thirds of their shots (12-for-18), while holding the Lakers to a 7-for-20 mark (35.0 percent).

43
The Lakers’ biggest deficit of the night. Entering the fourth quarter down by 29, the Lakers surrendered a 16-2 run over the first four minutes of the frame, tying their biggest deficit of the season — which also came against the Clippers on Jan. 7. The game highlighted the bigger issue of health for the Lakers, who have lost seven players for the season and missed a combined 301 games due to injuries. Meanwhile, the Clippers were without Jamal Crawford (right calf contusion) and have missed 83 games.

54
Points scored by the Lakers through three quarters. For a while it seemed that the Lakers were in danger of recording their fewest points of the season, which they set on March 19 when Utah held them to 73 points. However, Dwight Buycks scored nine of their 24 points in the final period of the already sealed game to avoid this mark.

“They were pressing up,” Wesley Johnson said. “They were trying to speed us up, get us out of our normal stuff. But that’s just one thing that could have been to our advantage: get the ball moving and space the floor.”

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Postgame Numbers: Lakers vs. Clippers (4/5/15)

Here is a by-the-numbers look at the Lakers’ 107-77 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.

12
Points scored by the Lakers in the first quarter. L.A. got off to a horrendous start, shooting just 6-for-24 (25.0 percent) in the opening frame. Portland, meanwhile, lapped the Lakers by pouring in 26 points on an 11-for-23 clip (47.8 percent). Damian Lillard was particularly lethal, racking up 14 points in the first quarter alone by shooting 5-for-6 from the field and hitting all four of his 3-pointers.

“I was disappointed at the start because I didn’t think we came out ready,” head coach Byron Scott said. “I thought they came out like, ‘Listen, let’s punch them in the mouth and see how they react.’ I didn’t think we reacted very well. I’m disappointed in that aspect.”

26.1
Percentage shot by L.A.’s bench, which was much worse for the majority of the night. D-League call-up Dwight Buycks entered the game with fewer than seven minutes left and scored eight points on 3-for-4 shooting. However, the rest of L.A.’s subs — who average 40.5 points — went just 3-for-19 from the field for 13 points.

27
Points scored by Jordan Clarkson. Hours after being named Rookie of the Month, Clarkson once again powered the Lakers. The 22-year-old shot 12-for 20 from the field, marking the second-highest scoring total of his career. Clarkson also pitched in in other areas, tallying seven rebounds and five assists.

“I thought he took the challenge like he has all season long,” Scott said. “He single-handedly got us back in the game in the second quarter. He’s a guy that has that mental and physical toughness that we’re talking about.”

32
Portland’s biggest lead of the night. The Lakers entered the fourth quarter after trimming the Trail Blazers’ lead back to 11. However, Portland took over from there by burying L.A. with a 23-2 run to start the period. During this stretch, the Lakers missed all nine of their shots, while the Blazers went 8-for-11 and enjoyed a 10-4 rebounding advantage.

53
Rebounds hauled in by Portland, which had 10 more than the home team. The Lakers fought closely on the boards for three quarters but could not contend in the fourth. The Trail Blazers enjoyed a 16-7 advantage during the final period, in which they outscored L.A., 33-14.