The Los Angeles Lakers have moved up in the win column, but remain rooted to the bottom of the table. After winning their first game of the season, they are ready to move forward. They looked good with their big 3 firing on all cylinders, and analyst Kendrick Perkins thinks so too. It looks like he’s been praying to god because the Lakers finally looked good.
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With Russell Westbrook now being cheered on by the Lakers faithful instead of booing him, the team got a shot in the arm. They seemed more confident, and despite going down in the first quarter, they rallied back. Most importantly, they did not capitulate in the 3rd quarter, which improved their game a lot.
The Nuggets’ Bones Hyland did not feature in the game, which may be the reason for their loss, but the Lakers had everyone ready to contribute. LeBron James missed three layups on the trot in the first quarter but ended up with 26 points. A strong 3rd quarter rally meant that he’s now projected to average 27.2 PPG.
Perkins, a vociferous supporter of the Lakers superstar, has always been the voice of reason in a sea of haters (read Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith). Big Perk speaks from a neutral perspective and gives credit where credit is due. He does not brown-nose Bron like Shannon Sharpe, nor does he turn green with envy when he does well.
Lakers got their 1st win of the season!!! Well, look at God.
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) October 31, 2022
Kendrick Perkins seems to be optimistic about the Lakers this season – does he see something that no one else can?
Despite only being a role player all his life, Kendrick Perkins knows a lot about basketball. He’s been positive about the Lakers this season, and despite their initial struggles, he’s not wavered. That doesn’t mean he’s not been critical; he just says things as he sees them.
He said he was apprehensive about Russell Westbrook playing second fiddle, but also hoped to be proven wrong. The Devil’s Advocate Perk knows that if the Lakers get their dominos right, things will fall into place. Will Darwin Ham find that right pattern that is there to be found out? But as of now, the Lakers are at rock bottom.
Does Perk know something that we fans don’t? Probably not, but he can envision a brighter future for the purple and gold.
What is the next item on the list for the Lakers?
This season is a tale of two cities for the Laker faithful. While they’ve seen their defense run by the Pentagon, their offense is very California-esque. They are laid back, working in their own time, yet extremely expensive. Coach Darwin Ham has his work cut out if he wants to get them firing on all cylinders.
The win against the Nuggets showed how he wants to run things. Westbrook only seems to work when he comes off the bench, while Bron and AD are out. The ability to play off the ball is nonexistent, but when he has the ball in hand, he’s a genius. His defense has rallied his nemesis, Patrick Beverley, too, and the rest have stepped it up.
The Lakers play the New Orleans Pelicans next, the owners of their FRPs. The Lakers’ front office must be sweating behind their knees knowing that if they fail, the Pelicans stand to gain the most. Trading away everything for one championship, the Pels stand to draft Victor Wembenyama if the Lakers don’t make the playoffs.
