Who would have thought that the Lakers without the Zhan Mei combination would really have a third giant. Against the Boston Celtics, Reaves stepped up, and he regained his playoff feel from last season and was the hero of the win.
With Kori's supernatural performance, the Lakers defeated the Celtics, who have the best record in the league, 114-105, giving the Green Army their third home loss of the season.
In this game, Reaves shot 10 of 18 and 7 of 10 three-pointers, scoring 32 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists. Russell had 16 points, eight rebounds and 14 assists.
At the same time, it is gratifying that Jaxson Hayes also proved his ability to fight hard to the coaching staff, with 16 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals.
Winning the arch-rival, the Lakers received the news of the team's big prize injury before they had time to get excited. In yesterday's game against the Celtics, Vanderbilt played 16 minutes but retired with a second-half injury due to right foot soreness, contributing 10 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals.
Lakers forward Vanderbilt is expected to miss several weeks with a right foot injury, according to sources.
In the past 5 games, the Lakers have been scored 130+ points by opponents in 4 games. The defense was already fragile, and now that James Mei has not returned, Vanderbilt has been injured again, and the team's defensive system will once again become thin as paper wings.
That's not even the worst of all, as Vanderbilt could be out for more than a few weeks, with sources saying Vanderbilt will undergo a broader consultation in the coming days to determine the extent of his injury in the mid-area of his foot and whether surgery is necessary that could cost him a season-long reimbursement, according to sources.
In the current lineup of the Lakers, Zhan Mei is the duo who needs to be fully rested the most. Vanderbilt, as an important member of the team's starting and rotation, had to force James to squeeze playing time when he returned, especially when the team's record was very poor.
If Vanderbilt is really out for the season, the pressure on Zhan Mei on both offensive and defensive ends will increase.
Of course, if the Lakers' generals can play as positive as the Celtics, then Zhan Mei will naturally have time and a chance to catch a few more breaths.
At the North Shore Garden Arena, the Lakers shot 19-of-36 three-pointers and were very effective on both ends of the floor. The Lakers, who improved their defensive focus, had 11 steals in the game, making the Green Army's offensive end as muddy and uncomfortable as a swamp.
And the Lakers' offense is also very decisive, and they feel very good, shooting 19 of 36 three-pointers in the game, and the three-point shooting rate has reached 52.8%. Reaves hit seven three-pointers alone. Russell had a crucial three-pointer in his account, and Hachimura didn't fail in his mission either.
And Hayes, who had not performed well before, even played his best performance of the season on this night.
If the Lakers can show the same energy, defense, and enthusiasm in the next games, then the Lakers' chances of struggling out of the play-in zone are greatly improved.