The Lakers face the San Antonio Spurs again tomorrow, and since these two teams literally faced each other yesterday, you know what to expect from that opponent, even though both teams are likely to make an adjustment or two as this playoff-esque “series” continues with three games within a week. Because of that – and, in the interest of full disclosure, because we’re slowing things down on the site for the holidays – this preview will look a little different than usual, and take a look at a few things for the Lakers in the past few days.
But before we get started, if you want to know more about Spurs specifically, here’s our recap of Wednesday’s game and our preview of that match.
Now, let’s get to the news.
Wesley Matthews arrived
The biggest basketball storyline that came out of Wednesday’s victory over Spurs – aside from the Lakers continuing their goal of not losing several consecutive games or some historical curiosity from LeBron James – was the resurrection of Matthews, who was in an absolutely brutal shot drop early in the season, going from 0-8 in the 3-point range in his first four games.
Against the Spurs, he hit 6-6 behind the hoop, finishing with 18 points in the Lakers’ victory.
But throw away the numbers of how cold Matthews was and how hot he got in San Antonio. Even if someone didn’t know the exact statistics, the question that Matthews received after the game – and his semi-stunned reaction to it – was an interesting microcosm of how brutal his kick was at the start of the season and how high his own expectations for himself are.
News reporter: You made six shots today, all with a 3 point reach, like unusual that’s it, and how did you feel after a game like this?
Matthews: “How unusual that’s it? Uh, I don’t know. I feel like I can get hot. I feel like I should do every shot I shoot, so I’m not going to say it was unusual. I am definitely grateful to my teammates. Credit to my teammates, technical team, for being consistently supportive and consistently optimistic. Obviously I didn’t start the season shooting the way I would like behind the hoop, so having a game like this is great, but it’s even better to win. So ‘unusual? ‘ I do not know. But I am grateful for the night and the moment. “
But as much as Matthews doesn’t call his shot to burn the net unusualshooting This one hot was unexpected after how difficult his start of the year was. It’s not that Matthews isn’t a better sniper than he’s shown so far and that some regression wasn’t expected, but look at the names he put alongside the Lakers’s story and tell me you could have predicted what he did in San Antonio on Wednesday:
Only other Lakers have shot 100% of 3 with at least 6 marks, in addition to Wesley Matthews so far tonight:
– Kobe (7 to 7)
– Nick Van Exel (6 by 6)– Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) December 31, 2020
But while Matthews may not be surprised, he was sincere after the game as he talked about his struggles and how he managed to get rid of them. Getting to a new team full of new players requires adjustment, and it’s not always easy – even for a veteran sniper like Matthews – to start running in a new role.
“It’s just a different kind of rhythm. This is my 12th season and, since the middle of my debut year, I have been a starter in this league, and it’s a different way to get involved mentally, ”said Matthews. “And obviously, this is a new group, a new style of play, and it’s a strange season, a strange off-season, so nothing really was capable of being any kind of normalcy. So, I’m supporting my teammates, trusting my work, trusting my faith and continuing to play.
“Keef (Markieff Morris) is one of the guys that has really helped in my comfort. I see a guy like this who started in this league, and how he leaves the bench and how he prepares, ”continued Matthews. “I started taking a little bit of what he does to prepare for when my number is called to enter the game, which is different for me, but like I said, you have to adapt. “
The Lakers do not need 18 points from Matthews in each game. But if he manages to play the offensive basketball style he played on Wednesday and continues to warm up a lot every now and then, the Lakers will be in a good position for the New Year. It’s not a bad way for champions to end 2020.
Alex Caruso probably hasn’t tested positive for COVID-19
Alex Caruso did not travel with the Lakers to San Antonio for the consecutive fight against the Spurs and is being barred under the league’s health and safety protocols, an intentionally vague designation that the league agreed with the players union for anyone outside for any reason, even if tangentially related to NBA coronavirus precautions, they tested positive or not.
There was some concern about a positive test being what held Caruso, and although that is still theoretically possible, since no other player or member of the Lakers team was forced to join him in the quarantine due to contact tracking when Caruso played a game the night before was lifted for the first time, it always seemed unlikely that a positive test was keeping him out. This seems even more unlikely in the wake of the league’s announcement on Wednesday:
Obviously, this is good news for Caruso and, hopefully, wherever he is and no matter why he is really out, he is fine and he and everyone around him is healthy.
Injury report
LeBron James will be listed as questionable with an ankle injury for the third consecutive game:
The Lakers and Spurs will be informed on the first day of 2021 at 5 pm Pacific time, and the game will be broadcast nationally on NBA TV and locally on Spectrum SportsNet. And no matter where you are, or how you’re watching, I just want to thank everyone who reads this and anything else this site produces for helping to make this community so special. 2020 has been a terrible year for all of us in many ways, even if it also has its good points, but this site and the people here are one of the few bright spots for me in all of this. Thank you for helping me survive this year, and here’s a better 2021 for all of us.
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