NBA Preseason 2020-21: 5 key takeaways from the LA Lakers' back-to-back dominant victories vs. LA Clippers
After facing each other in two consecutive NBA preseason games, the LA Lakers and LA Clippers appear to be headed in opposite directions.
The Lakers beat the Clippers 87-81 in their preseason opener with both teams struggling to put the ball in the hole. In the second game, the Lakers found their touch from 3-point range to wallop the Clippers into submission with a 131-106 win.
NBA Preseason 2020-21: LA Lakers look sharper than the LA Clippers
The LA Clippers are trying to recover from a meltdown in last season’s playoffs with major changes to the team’s makeup, not the least of which was the departure of head coach Doc Rivers.
After two NBA preseason games under Tyronn Lue, the Clippers are still searching for their identity, both offensively and defensively. Not so for the Lakers, who ran an offensive clinic in the second game of their head-to-head with the Clippers.
The result was a 25-point drubbing administered by the LA Lakers to their city rival. As the teams turn their attention to their next preseason fixtures, we take a look at 5 talking points from the preseason games between the two LA sides.
1. Talen Horton-Tucker could be a regular in the rotation
On Sunday, LA Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker scored a team-high 33 points on 11-of-17 shooting from the field, including 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range. He also led the team in scoring with 19 points.
Moreover, Horton-Tucker led both teams in scoring in their NBA preseason faceoffs, putting up 52 points across two games.
Aside from his scoring, the Iowa State product had a total of 19 rebounds, eight assists, and seven steals in a terrific all-around performance.
His performance this preseason could propel him into a regular spot in coach Frank Vogel’s rotation. Horton-Tucker’s scoring ability has never been in question, but his complete game is quite a pleasant surprise to the Laker faithful.
2. Marc Gasol's passing eases pressure on LA Lakers’ playmakers
Marc Gasol made his LA Lakers debut during the NBA preseason on Sunday, delivering some of the best passes of the night. He scored just six points but it was his playmaking that impacted the game the most.
He worked well with Talen Horton-Tucker and Kyle Kuzma, the two leading scorers in the game, who moved without the ball flawlessly.
The LA Lakers were without their top two playmakers from last season with LeBron James sitting out and Rajon Rondo no longer with the team. But that didn’t seem to be an issue because Gasol, together with Quinn Cook, facilitated the Lakers’ offense to perfection.
One can only imagine what Gasol can do for LeBron James and Anthony Davis once the regular season begins.
3. Watch out for LA Lakers' 3-point shooting
Last season, the LA Lakers were in the lower half of the league in key 3-point shooting stats. They were 23rd in 3-point shots made and 21st in 3-point shooting percentage at only 34.9 percent.
You wouldn’t think that of the LA Lakers after their second preseason game this year. The Purple and Gold knocked down 18-of-25 shots from behind the arc for an eye-popping 72 percent shooting from three.
It’s too early to predict how the Lakers will perform in the regular season. However, if the LA Lakers’ second 2020-21 NBA preseason game is any indication, fans may be treated to a better showing from 3-point territory next year.
4. LA Clippers with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George struggled vs. LA Lakers without LeBron James and Anthony Davis
It doesn’t seem fair to knock the LA Clippers for their poor showing in the preseason so far. After all, it’s just the preseason which many teams don’t take too seriously.
But it is quite telling when the Clippers’ two best players have played while the LA Lakers’ two stars have not, and the results show the opposite of what should have happened.
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George played in the two exhibition matches between the LA teams. However, it didn’t matter at all as the LA Lakers came away with two victories despite not playing LeBron James and Anthony Davis in either game.
Though Leonard and George were probably on cruise control in both games, their presence hardly made a difference, especially in the second game when the LA Lakers beat them easily.
These are exhibition matches, thus it would be too much to read into what the regular season will look like for both teams.
Nonetheless, the Clippers have a lot of work to do defensively if they want to continue to contend for the NBA championship.
5. Tyronn Lue has lost 10 straight games dating back to 2018 with Cleveland Cavaliers
The LA Clippers are struggling to get their groove, which is expected after a coaching change in the offseason. The Clippers elevated former assistant coach Tyronn Lue to head coach status in the offseason.
Though it’s too early to press the panic button, it is quite alarming when considering that Lue has actually lost 10 straight games dating back to the 2018-19 NBA preseason.
Lue was still the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers then, and after winning his first two preseason games, Lue lost his last two as well as six straight regular season games. The poor stretch eventually led to him being sacked by the Cavs.
Lue has two All-Stars on his team, along with 3-time Sixth Man of the Year awardee Lou Williams. That’s a very solid core of players who can help Lue break out of his 10-game losing funk.
They have to or else the Clippers brass may not be so patient with Tyronn Lue. It is important that the team shows improvement in the 2020-21 regular season’s first 25 games or so.