*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*
Game 2 of the Lakers' Summer League is off the books. The Lakers' came out firing to start, leading 2-14 at the first quarter. But, they couldn't keep up the hot start as the Celtics rallied for an 86-81 win. Similar to the first post after yesterday's loss to the Clippers, this will follow a three headline limit followed by a conclusion.
"11-Ball"
Last night was not a good night for Lonzo Ball. Only scored 5 points, 2-15 from the field. We saw a little sample of his court vision last night. Tonight, we got more out of Ball. He finished with a triple-double tonight with 11 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. There's a reason why I titled this headline "11-Ball" because of that stat line. Ball played faster tonight. I think last night, he was just getting a feel of the NBA tempo and pace. Tonight, he was more confident and he got help from a lot of players, Kyle Kuzma included. Players anticipated Lonzo's passes much better, helping him get those 11 assists for the night. Scoring-wise, Lonzo's three in the first quarter to put the Lakers up 0-8 was a welcoming sight. The scoring will pick up, but the Lakers drafted him primarily to be a pass first player and make teammates around him better. Overall, solid bounceback performance from him.
Kyle Kuzma Lights it Up
As I mentioned Kuzma in Lonzo Ball's headline, what a game for the Lakers' second 1st round pick in the 2017 NBA draft! 31 points, 5-10 from three point land, and 9 rebounds. He also had solid game last night. But, we saw a big jump from the Lakers' potential Stretch 4. For the most part, he did a good job defensively, staying on Jayson Tatum until he got hot late in the 3rd quarter. But back to the offense, Kuzma showed off an excellent shooting stroke tonight. Looking ahead to next season, he's gonna have a tall task to move up the ladder over Julius Randle and Larry Nance Jr. But like I said after the draft, his ability to hit the three will edge out both of them. If Randle gets traded and/or they move Deng, don't be surprised if Kuzma sees action at either Forward position. Tonight's game was a barometer of great potential for Kuzma.
Rim Rocker Nwaba
When the Lakers brought up David Nwaba to the active roster late last season, the scouting report we had about him was that he can play defense and he possesses great athleticism. Nwaba put up his athleticism on full display tonight with a couple of highlight dunks. He was blowing by defenders, making sharp cuts to the baskets for many of those dunks. Defensively, since Nwaba was inserted into the lineup tonight, the improved defensive activity was evident to start. Players were hustling and not giving their man any space. You can confidently say that Nwaba being in the lineup instigated fantastic team defense that the Lakers showed off to start. Stats-wise, Nwaba finished the night with 13 points and 8 rebounds. Those are solid numbers for the G-League Defensive Player of the Year and a guy who became a quick fan favorite among Laker Nation.
Conclusion
Even though the Lakers are 0-2 in the Summer League, the important thing that matters is that the rookies get the best out of their talent and potential. I was really impressed with the Lakers' three first round picks in this year's draft. Kyle Kuzma lit it up. Lonzo Ball bounced back. Josh Hart put up solid numbers before he went down with an ankle injury in the 4th quarter. Their performances tonight is something we can hold our heads up on, knowing that our first round picks flashed a lot of talent and potential as best they could. The Lakers are back in action against the Sacramento Kings. Lonzo Ball vs. DeAaron Fox was a heated debate among Laker forums prior to this year's draft. They had a pair of battles last season during the UCLA-Kentucky games. They meet again on Monday. That should be fun to watch.
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