The Lakers can exhale. Briefly.
After finishing a grueling five-game stretch in seven days with a 110-93 win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, they embark on their longest road trip of the season, an eight-game marathon beginning Tuesday in Denver.
The Lakers (25-16) are clinging to a top-six playoff spot at the midpoint of the season despite playing 19 different starting lineups in the first 41 games. With guard Luka Doncic and centers Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes back in the lineup after they were sidelined against Portland on Saturday, the Lakers notched their first win over a team with a winning record since Dec. 14.
“We’re staying together,” Ayton said. “There’s times where we’ve had some slump moments, but guys in here, we’re cool, we’re tight. … It’s a process and I feel like tonight is another step in the right direction.”
Here are three takeaways from the win:
Ayton in rare air
With 25 points on 10-for-10 shooting with 13 rebounds, Ayton became the first player this season to record at least 20 points on perfect shooting with at least 10 field goal attempts. After marveling at the Lakers’ championship tradition when he signed as a free agent this summer, the former No. 1 pick made his mark in the franchise record book as just the third Laker to shoot perfectly from the field on 10 or more attempts with at least 10 rebounds. The others are Wilt Chamberlain (March 11, 1969) and Mitch Kupchak (Nov. 20, 1981).
“That’s a thing I never even thought I would be a part of,” said Ayton, who also had zero turnovers. “I’m definitely honored and appreciative, but I love this game, so hopefully I get more of those.”
The center was returning from a one-game absence because of knee soreness. His impact on recent games has fluctuated as his energy dipped. During a particularly quiet stretch, coach JJ Redick said the center was frustrated that he wasn’t getting the ball more, which may have contributed to him averaging only 5.8 rebounds over five games and not finishing the fourth quarter on the court during two close games.
Redick encouraged his playmakers to make sure Ayton got touches early in games. The center now has double-doubles in three of his last four games.
“He's a very important guy for us,” said Doncic, who led the team with 25 points and seven assists. “Very important. … So got to look for him a lot. We got to look for him more. And if he plays like this, it gives us a way better chance to go [far].”
Hachimura finding his rhythm
Rui Hachimura hit one of the biggest shots of the season when he drained a buzzer-beating three-pointer in Toronto in a dramatic victory that will be remembered for ending LeBron James’ streak of 1,297 consecutive games with at least 10 points.
The two three-pointers Hachimura hit in the final two minutes of the third quarter Sunday will not be played on highlight reels, but they still were significant. They contributed to an 11-3 run that put the Lakers up by seven entering the fourth quarter and could be a sign of Hachimura's progress after returning from injury.
“Those were big shots for us,” Redick said. “They're a top-three defense. In a game like this, where it's hard to score, and it's a low possession game, and it can be a little muddy, those shots were huge for us.”
The two three-pointers were a much-needed sight for Hachimura, who finished with 10 points on four-for-10 shooting with two threes in six attempts. The forward said he still is finding his rhythm after a calf injury kept him out for six games.
Read more:LeBron James' record scoring streak ends, but Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura deliver win
Hachimura combined for 10 points in his first two appearances since the injury, shooting four for 11 from the field and two for seven from three-point range. He still is playing on a minutes restriction that keeps him on the bench to start games. But with 11 points against Portland on Saturday, Hachimura appears to be rediscovering his form, Redick said.
Hachimura played 21 minutes 46 seconds Sunday, the most since he returned from the calf injury. He still had a few more minutes available, Redick said.
In the zone
Finishing a grueling stretch of five games in seven days, the Lakers were “a little bit exhausted,” Hachimura acknowledged. Redick had a secret weapon to perk them up.
The Lakers rolled out a zone defense to begin the second quarter. The sheer size of a lineup with the 7-foot Ayton, 6-8 Jarred Vanderbilt, 6-9 James and 6-10 Drew Timme with 6-3 Marcus Smart at point guard was jarring to see in person, Redick acknowledged. But the zone defense was critical to helping slow the pace for a team trying to survive its fifth game in seven days.
The Lakers started the second quarter on a 9-0 run that quickly erased the Raptors’ seven-point lead.
Timme earned a place in the rotation for the second consecutive night after he scored a career-high 21 points against Portland on Saturday. He hit one three-pointer Sunday and had three rebounds with two assists.
The former Gonzaga star signed a two-way contract Nov. 25 after starring with the G League affiliate South Bay Lakers. He averaged a team-high 25.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and four assists in the first six G League games and has been able to translate that work to the NBA level, even if his opportunities are limited.
“[South Bay Lakers have] challenged me to add that to my game and be more of a playmaker on the perimeter and decision-maker on the perimeter,” said Timme, who has played 63 minutes in eight games. “And I've been down there for a decent amount, and then they hold me accountable and they push me and then they keep me sharp for moments when I am called upon. And you just gotta be ready whenever your number's called.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
