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It was a potential preview of the NBA Finals, although both teams’ superstars are sidelined with injuries. Still, Los Angeles Lakers goaltender Dennis Schroder called the Brooklyn Nets’ Los Angeles 126-101 beat on Saturday “the best win of the year.”
The visiting Lakers were playing without stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis as well as Kyle Kuzma (left calf strain), Wesley Matthews (right Achilles tightness) and Marc Gasol (left hamstring tightness), but they led the Net by no less than 28 points. to win for the fifth time in their last eight games.
“As I’ve said throughout the season, when we play disjointed on the defensive end, we always have a chance,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said after Los Angeles kept Brooklyn at 43, 5% shooting and lowest points total in eight games. “I am super proud of our group.”
Not that Brooklyn was at full power, either, with James Harden (right hamstring) and Kevin Durant on a minute restriction in his second game after a prolonged hamstring injury. On top of that, Kyrie Irving signed on with Schroder in the third quarter, and two were sent off.
However, the Lakers have had contributions across the board, with eight players a season-high hitting double-digit and the team tying the best of the season with 19 players within 3 points. Additionally, Talen Horton-Tucker had 11 career-high assists, Alfonzo McKinnie had nine rebounds, a season-high, Markieff Morris had three interceptions and Ben McLemore had five 3s in his second game with the team.
“I learned a lot from today’s game – that we have a lot of guys in this locker room who are very tough,” said Andre Drummond, who had 20 points and 11 rebounds in his strongest game since ‘he joined Los Angeles last month. . “Despite who’s on the other side of the pitch, they’re going to come out and play. No matter how many minutes the guys play, they’re going to play to the best of their ability. And we have fun doing it. We had a lot of fun tonight playing and getting this victory. “
Drummond looked like he was really enjoying himself when he drove and scored on LaMarcus Aldridge midway through the third quarter. Drummond drew a foul as he made his way to the hoop, then dropped his hand below his knees in celebration, gesturing that Aldridge was too small to keep him.
“It was a good basket,” Drummond said with a laugh. “It’s my signature that I do when I score on people and I get an and-1, so nothing to LaMarcus intentionally. It’s just what I do. It doesn’t matter who is there, it just happens. past.”
Everything was apparently going to be fine for LA after the showdown between Irving and Schroder, who continued a long run of 57-33 from that point until there were just a few minutes left on the clock in fourth. quarter.
Irving, a 10-year veteran, and Schroder, an eight-year-old pro, entered the prime-time game after each playing more than 500 career games without ejection. That changed for both in the third quarter.
The point guard exchanged words after Irving was called up for a personal foul on Schroder with 9 minutes, 41 seconds left in the third quarter and the Lakers ahead 66-62, prompting referee Zach Zarba to separate the two and issue a double technical fault. – one for each player.
Irving and Schroder continued to chew after teammates stepped in to get between them when Irving was called up for a second technical foul by referee Tyler Ford, resulting in an automatic ejection. Schroder received a second technical foul shortly after by referee Jason Goldenberg.
“I think it was unnecessary,” Schroder said after the game. “It’s just too bad I left my team there on their own. And I mean I didn’t really – I don’t even know what I did. But I was. sent off, and I apologized to my teammates. “
Zarba then explained the officials’ decisions to a reporter at the pool.
“After being assessed for the first technical fouls both players were warned against moving on,” he said. “And so, when Irving couldn’t stop yelling at Schroder, he was then assessed for his second technical foul and was kicked out. And after Irving’s kicked out, if you watch the video, Schroder says goodbye to him. provocatively, which is why he received a second technical foul and was sent off. “
Irving did not speak to reporters after the loss, leaving it up to his teammates to explain what happened.
“We were in the game, but I’m not going to blame the ejection for why the momentum changed,” said Durant, who scored 22 points in 24 minutes but also made eight turnovers. “They did it, so we should have done it.”
The victory took the Lakers’ record to 2-1 on their five-game trip to the East Coast.
“When you see guys out there and you see a great opponent like the Nets, you can be a little overwhelmed and not know if you’re going to have a chance of winning it. But you want to have a go-after-these state of affairs. ‘spirit of the men, “said Vogel.” And we knew when we got there that if we could manage to win on the penalty kill against this opponent it would feel good and it would be one of the best wins of the year.
“So we are happy about it.”
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