LeBron James credits Lakers bench for victory against Lakers.Cavaliers

With only eight players on the court against the Cavaliers, the bench players took on greater responsibilities and helped the Lakers secure a road victory.

• go through
  
  Edwin Garcia
  

• exist November 27, 2023 1:00 pm

With four players missing against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Lakers began a four-game road trip shorthanded and playing just eight players.

What had the potential to be a crushing defeat ended up being one of the most impressive wins of the season. Los Angeles outscored the Cavaliers in the fourth quarter to beat LeBron James’ former team 121-115.

It was an all-hands-on-deck game, with seven of the eight players finishing the night in double-digit scoring. Jaxson Hayes, Austin Reeves and Christina Wood were particularly impressive off the bench, combining for 38 points and a 14-20 shooting record.

The effort didn’t go unnoticed by James, who spoke about the effort off the bench after the game.

“We built this roster for ourselves and AD to not take on a huge burden and obviously, we’re not yet at our potential, but we’re also not in a full rhythm or a full team yet,” James said after the game. “But I mean, 34 assists on 47 shots tonight, that’s awesome. We had four or five guys with multiple assists, over three assists. I think that helps. So when the ball pops up like that Everybody’s going to feel in a good rhythm. I thought the bench guys did an unbelievable job. Austin, Jax and C-Wood came off the bench and did a great job. We needed their spark and the starters pitched in. energy.”

The most impressive thing about Hayes, not just in this win but this year, is that he’s able to pick his spots and not go outside of his ability. He’s not a high shooter, but when he takes shots at the rim, he usually makes them. He shot 76% from the field, the highest shooting rate of his career.

He went a perfect 5-5 against the Cavaliers, with all of his shots coming in the second quarter during the Lakers’ first-half climax, which helped them hold on as Cleveland threatened to extend their lead and take over the game. Contest.

Since being demoted to the bench, Austin Reeves has found his best form, averaging 14.8 points, 6.3 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game. Eight of his 15 points Saturday came in the fourth quarter, with Reeves icing on the cake by making free throws with the game hanging in the balance. He may not start, but he is a player the team can trust, and he repays that confidence by delivering strong performances in key moments.

As James said, this roster is designed to help James and Anthony Davis not have to bear too much of a burden. Now, with both players ranked in the top two in minutes, points and rebounds, it’s hard to say the burden has eased this season.

However, Saturday was a good example of what can be done on the bench to lighten the load. Be good in your minutes and stay positive on the court so Davis and James don’t have to make heroic plays to finish off a team.

On this road trip and throughout the season, the Lakers will need more from their bench core to rack up as many wins as possible without wearing down their 39-year-old superstar.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter: @ECreates88.

read more