The Los Angeles Lakers are 20-15, and tied with the LA Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks for the fifth-best record in the West. But last night’s 119-115 loss to the Houston Rockets exposed a flaw that could be the team’s undoing this season. Steven Adams played just 17 minutes for the Rockets, managing nine rebounds, seven of which came on the offensive end. Houston’s 28-8 edge in second-chance points made the difference, and the Lakers did not have anyone to match the physicality of someone like Adams.
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Chris McGee, Derek Fisher, and James Worthy of Spectrum Sportsnet spoke about this weak link in the Lakers roster after the game.
“There’s nobody on the Lakers team that can match his physicality. AD [Anthony Davis] maybe, but when AD goes to help or is roaming, man, he’s so smart, he goes right to where he can get those offensive rebounds. You can’t stop him, unless you’ve got somebody his size that can deal with it,” said Worthy.
Derek Fisher and James Worthy showed love to Steven Adams’ game vs the Lakers…
“There’s no one on that Lakers team that could match his physicality. He’s so smart… you can’t stop him.” pic.twitter.com/PXDtvvcTYt
— Steven Adams Stats (@funakistats) January 6, 2025
Anthony Davis has been having an All-NBA quality season for the Lakers. But he’s had very little help in the post.
Adams’ impactful performance underscores the Lakers’ need for another big man in the trade market, someone who can keep opposing teams off the glass. And more importantly, someone who can free Davis up offensively and defensively.
AD needs some help inside the paint
The Lakers already traded with the Brooklyn Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. But they should still be on the lookout for a difference-making center. Some potential options include Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz, Jakob Poeltl of the Toronto Raptors, and Jonas Valanciunas of the Washington Wizards.
D’Angelo Russell was L.A.’s biggest trade chip, but he was sent to Brooklyn in the deal for DFS and Milton. Gabe Vincent, who’s been disappointing since signing with the Lakers in free agency last year, could be a name to watch. And, Rui Hachimura could credibly be replaced by rookie Dalton Knecht as the team’s starting power forward.
Knecht has been streaky this year. He was invisible against the Rockets in 17 minutes, but he played his best ball of the year when Hachimura was out with a sprained ankle in November.
The Lakers need to do everything to maximize the twilight of LeBron James’ career. With rebounding monsters in the West such as Adams, Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert, and Isaiah Hartenstein, another big is a necessity and not a luxury.
