The Los Angeles Lakers displayed a fantastic performance in their first game in the playoffs. They pulled off an incredible win of 128-112 against the table-topper Memphis Grizzlies. It looks like the two-man down for them is a massive disadvantage against the Lakers. However, the purple and gold’s young and new staff seem extremely confident with the ball. It was not their usual superstars who scored the team’s highest last night. It would have given LeBron James and Anthony Davis an easy game to relax for the upcoming action.
It is truly a miracle for a team like the Lakers, who were down to the bottom, to now hold a winning spree. But it is they never give up attitude that makes them the title contender this year and almost every season. Therefore, coach Darvin Ham‘s team has a significant responsibility to come through on all the expectations they are setting for the fans. And the way they are currently performing, it looks like the team could go all the way. Even the young players who lack experience in the postseason are creating a ruckus on the court.
Rui Hachimura, The Lakers’ New Hero
The young forward was on fire last night, taking over all the clout from the superstar duo. The 25-year-old turned a lot of heads with his team-high 29 points against the Grizzlies. Not to forget the point that he had never had a taste of the playoffs until last night. Keeping that in mind, he made 4-5 shots from behind the arc combined with 11-14 shots overall. In his career, the forward was always left out of the high-stakes game in his last team. But the Lakers have given him space to spread his wings all over the place.
In the postgame, Rui expressed how he feels about the new team he joined in January in place of Kendric Nunn. He said, “Since I got here, this team really believes in me … [it makes me] very confident and comfortable“. He also took the opportunity to thank LA’s assistant coach, who has been helping him with all the on-court activities. Austin Reaves, another youngster, also had a very purposeful night alongside Hachimura. The small forward racked up a decent 23 points and four assists to help his team win the first game in the playoffs.
Was It Rui Hachimura’s Luck Or Hardwork?
The Memphis Grizzlies struggled to contain Hachimura last night. And looking at his performance, Desmond Bane might think that it was one performance in a blue moon. He took a shot at him in the postgame interview, saying, “Since I got here, this team really believes in me … [it makes me] very confident and comfortable”.
Desmond Bane on Rui Hachimura: “It’s probably the best game of his career. It’s a seven-game series. Let’s see if he can do it again Wednesday.”
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) April 16, 2023
LeBron James and Anthony Davis, meanwhile, were focusing more on the defensive side of the team. It is rare not to see them both score massive points at such a stage. But they did an excellent job stopping the opponents with combined ten blocks.