In the final game of their five-game home stand to begin January, the Lakers (19-19) will play the Suns (19-18) for the fourth time this year, looking to stay undefeated against their division rival in a game that also has standings implications. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. on TNT.
Below are three things to know ahead of the matchup:
STARTERS STRUGGLES
The Lakers have used 10 different starting lineups this season, a testament to the number of injuries to complementary players the team has had so far, but also reflective of the coaching staff’s search for a group that possesses the right elixir of qualities that both lean into the team’s strengths and identity they want to foster while also winning the minutes they play together.
The most recent group that has started the last four games, was borne somewhat out of the Rui Hachimura calf strain that sidelined him during a contest in which he was making his second start in the past three games and looked to earning a role with the first five. With Rui out, however, the Lakers inserted Austin Reaves back into the staring group as another ball handler, shot creator, and scorer.
The Lakers are 2-2 since this recent lineup change, but the new starting group has not found a footing together, with the data showing this group struggling to win their shifts. Overall, the group of Reaves, Cam Reddish, Taurean Prince, LeBron, and Anthony Davis are posting a -10.5 net rating for the season (94 minutes total) with their defense (121.6) being a key driver of their struggles.
Further, this group is not just having issues in one portion of the game or during shifts that happen in one or two quarters. This new lineup is posting a negative net rating in every quarter they’ve appeared in this season:
1st quarter: -13.4 net rating in 27 minutes
2nd quarter: -21.5 net rating in 14 minutes
3rd quarter: -1.5 net rating in 27 minutes
4th quarter: -12.9 net rating in 26 minutes
Even with these struggles, the Lakers are finding ways to be competitive in games and have won two straight. If this starting group can find its footing, the team would benefit even more and could start to get separation and, potentially, go on a bit of a run. And if they can’t, another change would not be out of the question.
RUSSELL’S RETURN
D’Angelo Russell suffered a tailbone contusion against the Timberwolves (Dec. 30) and proceeded to miss the next three games. During that stretch, the Lakers went winless, and sorely missed the ball handling, offensive initiation, shot making, and keen passing eye Russell brings to the table, which all help buoy the Lakers on that side of the ball.
Since Russell’s return, things have not so coincidentally turned around for the Lakers, as they’ve won both games he’s been back in the lineup and have found ways to be more productive offensively during his minutes on the floor.
Individually, Russell has offered fine production, averaging 12 points and 5.5 assists to 2.5 turnovers while shooting 40.9% from the field and 33.3% from behind the arc in roughly 23.5 minutes a night. This production, however, belies the success of the five-man lineups he’s played in during these games. Russell is a combined +12 in the boxscore in games his team won by four points total, highlighting that his minutes were critical to getting those wins.
This is a season long trend for Russell, too. Though the Lakers are posting a -41-point differential on the season, Russell has an individual plus-minus of +53 — the highest mark on the team. Needless to say, then, the Lakers as a team are doing well when Russell plays, which can sometimes get muddied in the analysis of individual counting stats.
SUNS’ BIG THREE
There may be no team that was pegged as a pre-season contender that has dealt with as many injuries to important rotation players than the Phoenix Suns. Built on the concept of having three high-level offensive initiators in Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, the Suns were positioned to be an offensive juggernaut who would be able to outscore teams by always having two of those three players on the court over the full game.
Things have not quite gone that way, however. The Suns star trio has appeared in just six games together all season and have shared the floor for only 108 minutes so far. To their credit, they are winning those minutes handily with a +23 in the boxscore and are dominating on offense with a 120.7 rating on that side of the ball.
Heading into tonight, then, the Lakers will face a formidable challenge as all three are slated to play for the first time against Los Angeles this season. The Lakers defense will need to be as sharp as ever, particularly in navigating on and off-ball screen actions and when defending in isolation. The Suns are not the most motion-heavy group on that end, but those three scorers are all great moving off pin-downs and navigating defenses and finding the cracks to get their shot off.
The Lakers conversely, have done well trapping and pressuring the Suns to impact their ball security. In the three previous games these teams have played, the Suns have averaged 19.7 turnovers a night, with that number ballooning to 23 a game in the two contests played in Los Angeles. The Lakers would do well to continue to press up on the Suns ball handlers and force them to make plays and smart decisions while under duress.
On the other side of the ball, the Lakers can look to get the ball to Anthony Davis who has not only been on a tear of late, but has done well against the Suns this season — particularly in home games.
AD has averaged 28 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks in the two games at Crypto.com Arena, while getting to the foul line to the tune of nine attempts a game in those home contests. Throwing the ball to AD and letting him go to work against Jusuf Nurkic and either play in single coverage or force a double team can open up opportunities for good offensive production in this one.
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