It was a potential preview of the NBA Finals, albeit with superstars on both sides sidelined with injuries. But nonetheless, Los Angeles Lakers security guard Dennis Schroder called LA’s 126-101 beatdown of the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday “the best win of the year.”
The Lakers played without stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, as well as Kyle Kuzma (left calf strain), Wesley Matthews (right Achilles tightness) and Marc Gasol (left hamstring tightness), but they led the Nets by a whopping 28 points to win for fifth times in their past eight games.
“Like I said all along, all season, when we play scrappy at the defensive end, we always have a chance,” said Lakers coach Frank Vogel after LA held Brooklyn on 43.5% shooting and lowest point total. in eight games. “I am very proud of our group.”
Not that Brooklyn was at full strength either, with James Harden (right hamstring) out and Kevin Durant with a minute restriction in his second game back from a long-term hamstring injury of his own. In addition, Kyrie Irving came into action with Schroder in the third quarter, and two were sent off.
However, the Lakers had contributions across the board, with eight high-season players achieving double-digit scoring and the team having a season best equal with 19 3-pointers made. Additionally, Talen Horton-Tucker had a career-high 11 assists, Alfonzo McKinnie had nine rebounds in the season, Markieff Morris had three steals in the season, and Ben McLemore made five 3s in his second game with the team.
“I learned a lot from today’s game, that we have a lot of guys in this locker room who are very tough,” said Andre Drummond, who had 20 points and 11 rebounds in his strongest game since joining LA from the buy last month. -out market. . “Despite who is on the other side of the field, they will come out to play. No matter how many minutes the boys play, they are going to play to the best of their ability. And we have fun. We have it tonight. had a lot of fun playing and achieving this victory. “
Drummond looked like he was having a good time driving, scoring halfway through the third quarter at LaMarcus Aldridge. Drummond committed a foul as he made his way to the hoop, then dropped his hand below his knees in celebration, gesturing that Aldridge was too small to protect him.
“It was a good basket,” Drummond said, laughing. “That’s my signature I do when I score on people and get an and-1, so nothing on purpose towards LaMarcus. It’s just what I do. It doesn’t matter who is there, it happens.”
It seemingly all happened for LA after the run-in between Irving and Schroder, who made an extended 57-33 run from then on until there were only a few minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Irving, a 10-year veteran, and Schroder, an eight-year pro, got into the prime-time matchup after playing more than 500 career games each without being ejected. That changed for both in the third quarter.
The two point guards exchanged words after Irving was called up for a personal foul on Schroder with 9 minutes, 41 seconds remaining in the third quarter and the Lakers leading 66-62, prompting referee Zach Zarba to keep the two apart and commit a double technical foul. – one for each player.
Irving and Schroder continued to jaw at each other after teammates intervened to step in between them when Irving was called up for a second technical foul by referee Tyler Ford, resulting in an automatic throwout. Schroder received a second technical foul of his own shortly afterwards from referee Jason Goldenberg.
“I don’t think it was necessary,” said Schroder after the game. “It’s just a shame I left my team there alone. And I mean I didn’t really do it, I don’t even know what I did. But I was kicked out and I apologized to my teammates for that.”
Zarba explained the officials’ decisions to a pool reporter afterwards.
“After assessing the initial technical fouls, both players were warned not to proceed,” he said. And so when Irving couldn’t stop yelling at Schroder, he was judged his second technical foul and thrown out. And after Irving’s ejection, if you watch the video, Schroder sadly waves him goodbye , and that’s why he suffered a second technical foul and was sent off. “
Irving did not speak to reporters after the loss and left it to his teammates to explain what had happened.
“We were in the game, but I’m not going to blame the goalkeeper for why the momentum changed,” said Durant, who scored 22 points in 24 minutes, but also had eight turnovers. “They’ve got it going, so we should have got it going.”
The win put the Lakers’ record at 2-1 on their current five-game East Coast road trip.
“When you see guys come out and you see a great opponent like the Nets, you can be a little bit overwhelmed and not sure you have a chance to win it. -Boy mindset,” said Vogel. we would be able to beat this opponent, it would feel good and it would be one of the best wins of the year. ”
“So we’re happy with that.”