The L.A. Lakers barely survived at home in game four versus the Memphis Grizzlies, and they provided little resistance on the road in game five, losing 116-99. If the Lakers and their fans assume that winning game six at home is a lock then they may be in for a very unpleasant surprise, because--despite the hype and the weird narratives that ignore evidence and common sense--the Lakers are the same team that they have been throughout the season: they do not consistently play hard or smart, which is why they needed to survive the Play-In Tournament to qualify for the playoffs.
The undersized Grizzlies--who are without the services of injured big men Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke--outscored the Lakers in the paint 56-48 while keeping the rebound battle nearly level (the Lakers won, 54-52). The 2023 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 18 points and tied for the team lead with 10 rebounds. Desmond Bane (33 points, 10 rebounds, five assists) and Ja Morant (31 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists) outplayed the Lakers' two 75th Anniversary Team players: Anthony Davis did his part (31 points, game-high 19 rebounds), but LeBron James finished with just 15 points on 5-17 field goal shooting, along with 10 rebounds, five assists, and a game-high five turnovers. Instead of attacking the paint, James settled for three pointers and he shot just 1-9 from beyond the arc. James is 38 years old and cannot reasonably be expected to dominate every game, but when James is having an off game his highly-touted supporting cast must pick up the slack.
The Lakers have received a lot of praise regarding the three players who they acquired in exchange for Russell Westbrook. Here is how the "tremendous trio" did versus Memphis in game five:
D'Angelo Russell had 11 points on 4-11 field goal shooting, but he did dish out a game-high 10 assists. He is averaging 13.8 ppg on .367 field goal shooting (25-68) during this series.
Jarred Vanderbilt had seven points on 3-4 field goal shooting. He is averaging 6.8 ppg on .609 field goal shooting (14-23) during this series.
Malik Beasley had six points on 2-6 field goal shooting. He is averaging 3.2 ppg on .278 field goal shooting (5-18) in during this series.
Russell is an erratic, inconsistent offensive player who is a subpar defensive player. Vanderbilt is a scrappy defender whose offensive game mainly consists of picking up loose change in the paint. Beasley is barely in the rotation; in this game, he posted a plus/minus number of -23 in just 11 minutes.
The Lakers offered little defensive resistance in the first quarter, and they trailed 38-24 at the end of the first 12 minutes. As is often the case, the tone set in the first quarter presaged how the rest of the game would unfold.
Game six will be fascinating. The Lakers are consistently inconsistent, while the Grizzlies are young, impetuous and volatile. Will LeBron James have the necessary energy--and mindset--to attack the paint? Will Anthony Davis be a force in the paint? Will any of the highly touted role players acquired in exchange for Russell Westbrook have a meaningful impact? Will the undermanned and undersized Grizzlies scrap their way to a win and reclaim homecourt advantage?