Kuminga & Thompson Give The Lakers More Questions
Last night’s ABC Primetime matchup was another thriller between the Lakers and Warriors. From Kuminga to AD, here are my biggest takeaways.
For the second week in a row, ABC’s primetime game was a doozy. The Lakers and Warriors, two heavyweights, battled for 48 grueling minutes. The war of attrition showed a lot about both sides. The Lakers had chances to win but squandered them late. The Warriors, fueled by rookie Jonathan Kuminga and a vintage Klay Thompson 4th quarter, survived.
This game was a roller-coaster until the end, giving us even more questions to ask about these two teams. Here are my three biggest takeaways from this epic.
The Jonathan Kuminga Fanclub (led by Jeff Van Gundy)
While most people wholeheartedly agree that Jeff Van Gundy is annoying, I agree with him on one subject. Jonathan Kuminga is a really, really good frickin’ player.
I can’t tell you the number of times Van Gundy expressed his love (his words, not mine) for the rookie. Hell, at one point, he even said he had a “man-crush” on him. That might be one step too far, but you get the idea.
Kuminga had another dazzling performance on both ends. Here’s everything I loved about his night.
The Ebbs and Flows of Guarding Lebron
With no Draymond Green, the raw rookie had the task of guarding Lebron. At times, his unreal physical tools allowed him to hold his own. Kuminga was also subject to some good old veteran bullying from James, who made no secret into his tactics for the night.
All in all, Kuminga had a pleasant time banging with the all-time leading scorer in NBA history down low.
On one of the first possessions of the game, James kindly reminds Kuminga that he’s a teenager.
Still, Kuminga isn’t your ordinary rookie. He stays with James perfectly on the drive, knocking away his would-be layup.
James again gets a running start from the perimeter, but Kuminga holds his ground.
I don’t think you can call this defense. I don’t know if I should blame Kuminga, but he hardly fights over the screen to contest the shot.
This play doesn’t include Lebron, but it’s still jaw-dropping. Kuminga’s absurd length allows him to recover, swatting this shot away.
Kuminga’s physical tools were his biggest selling point coming into the NBA. You’re seeing that he can hold his own on this side of the ball. There will be lapses in judgment, but you take the good with the bad.
The Warriors have another elite defensive wing, as if they didn’t have enough already.
Learning The Intricacies of the Offense
On top of his great defensive night, Kuminga showed his promise in the Warriors’ offense. Last season, James Wiseman struggled to fit in. Kuminga does not have the same problems. He’s quickly learned how to become a swiss army knife for the Warriors.
He’s constantly moving, setting screens, and cutting at the opportune time for a shot attempt. For a 19-year old, he’s learned one of the most complex NBA offenses rather quickly. If he continues to do this, finding playing time will be less and less of a struggle.
Kuminga was a bowling ball in the first half. Whether it be in transition or off of a well-timed cut, Kuminga assaulted the rim time and time again.
Here, he makes himself for Curry on the fly, leading to an emphatic slam.
A simple down screen springs Lee for the open shot. Don’t tell me he knows how to do this already.
Overview
The Warriors run one of the most complex systems in the NBA. A 19-year old rookie is picking things up like a sponge. His raw athleticism has allowed him to earn minutes. His ability to get into the system is keeping him out there.
He’s a spark plug, someone who can play on both ends. Unlike James Wiseman last year, Kuminga is more than holding his own.
Anthony Davis Is Beyong Frustrating
Anthony Davis is one of the best players in the league. His combination of size, quickness, and touch make him an impossible guard on offense. On defense, good luck trying to score on him. His arms extend forever, able to block any shot in the paint. He can even switch out onto the perimeter. He is a weapon.
The only problem is, Davis isn’t playing up to his potential. Ever since the NBA Bubble, where AD was dominant, things haven’t been the same. He has struggled to stay on the floor, first and foremost. He is no longer a threat shooting the ball.
Worst of all, his aggression has disappeared. If what we saw in the Bubble was an angry AD, we’re seeing a more mellow (no pun intended) version.
Here’s why I hate Anthony Davis.
Chris Webber 2.0
I don’t expect most of you to know this, but Chris Webber is infamous for one thing. You can remember him for his Fab Five days in college. Or his role is trying to dethrone the Lakers in the early 2000s. He’s a Hall of Famer, the highest honor a basketball player can receive.
But if there’s one stain to Webber’s career (other than that college scandal), it’s his play in close games. If you watched those games, you saw that Webber didn’t want to shoot the ball in high-pressure moments. He wasn’t ready, despite being the best player on his team for the majority of his career.
Other players like Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing, and Ralph Sampson are in this boat. I fear Anthony Davis is going down a similar path.
Anthony Davis seems primed for big games against the Warriors. Even if Draymond Green were healthy, he would be the biggest guy on the court. He’s a matchup nightmare for anybody, but the Warriors aren’t well equipped to stop him.
Let’s take things a step further. In the 4th quarter, the Warriors were without Kevon Looney for nearly 4 minutes. From the 4:40 mark up until there were just 46 seconds left, the Warriors had no center. And Anthony Davis did absolutely nothing.
Afraid of the Post?
Even with all his advantages, AD attempted just 13 shots last night. That alone is a sin, but he just disappeared down the stretch. After a strong first half, Davis attempted just three shots in the 4th quarter. Three.
When you watch back the final moments of the 4th quarter, you notice a trend. Davis is always outside on the perimeter, not in the post. I get that he’s setting a screen, but that’s not the right attitude. With no Kevon Looney in the game, that’s the time to attack.
Instead, he attempted just two shots over that four-minute stretch where Looney was out. One of them was an alley-oop dunk. *screams into a pillow*
Guards like Austin Reaves were relentless in their attacks to the basket. Meanwhile, a unicorn with a size advantage was allergic to the paint. *screams into another pillow*
4th Quarter Ghosting
Statmuse and I are on the same page.
Review
To be the team they want to be, AD has to be better. He’s not going to get five months of rest. He has to find his own switch and fast.
Staying healthy is half his battle, but when he’s on the court, he can’t be watching. He has to be playing. There’s a reason those Kings teams were never as great as they could have been. Relying on Mike Bibby to be your best player instead of Chris Webber had a ceiling.
This team will also have a ceiling if Talen Horton-Tucker is outscoring AD. We can talk about Westbrook all we want, but the Lakers need Bubble AD if they want any chance at a deep postseason run.
Klay Thompson Is Back (officially)
Klay Thompson is officially back. His return to injury has been a slow build-up. His minutes, comfort level, and mobility have increased with every passing game. Last night, he put things all together. He’s called ‘Game 6 Klay’ for a reason.
In the 4th quarter, the Warriors’ offense fell stagnant. Thompson kept them afloat while the Lakers went on a run. Thompson had 16 of the Warriors’ 22 points in the 4th.
Thompson’s go-ahead three with 1:35 left in the 4th was one of his many big shots in the period. Overall, Thompson put up 33 points, his first 30-point effort since returning from injury.
If there was any doubt before, Klay Thompson has put everything to rest. He’s back.
Rapid-Fire Thoughts
Here are some of the smaller things I noticed from this game. Nothing ground-breaking, but hey, they’re called rapid-fire thoughts for a reason.
Austin Reaves Continues To Be Everything The Lakers Need Him To Be
Austin Reaves is one of the few role players on the Lakers worth a damn. The undrafted rookie from Oklahoma is one of my favorite players. And no, it’s not because he has a sweet southern drawl. That’s only part of it.
Reaves put in another solid effort last night. He did a bit of everything, including 13 points on 5/5 shooting. He was on the floor late in the game, as he usually does. Reaves should be starting, but even Frank Vogel has his limits on lineup craziness.
The Perfect Intentional Miss??
With the Lakers down two, they needed an intention miss from Lebron to have a chance. Instead of throwing the ball at the rim, the King had a new approach.
His tear-drop floater landed softly on the rim, giving the Lakers a chance to tie/take the lead. Things didn’t work out, but this was one of the better intentional misses you’re going to see. I would love to see another player try and fail this way of intentionally missing.
Russell Westbrook Was…Good?
I’m one of Westbrook’s biggest supporters. There’s no denying he played a great game last night. For all the valid criticism he gets, he was not one of the reasons LA lost.
Westbrook had just one turnover on the night. You can thank him for not having the ball much for those few turnovers. They used Westbrook along the baseline, where he scored a couple of times. Since he wasn’t involved, he couldn’t hurt the Lakers as much as he usually does.
LA should leave Westbrook by the wayside instead of expecting him to change. Benching him 1000 times won’t stop him, but a lesser role might.
What Are Your Thoughts From Last Night’s Games? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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