The Phoenix Suns have exactly what the Lakers crave, two versatile and creative point guards in their starting backcourt.
They have something else, too — more than two victories.
The Lakers are three weeks into the season and desperately seeking a third win that didn’t come Monday, a 120-101 loss ending their one-game winning streak as quickly as it appeared.
Kobe Bryant didn’t make the trip so he could rest at home, leaving Metta World Peace in the starting lineup (he was fine) and two struggling young players that weren’t so fine.
It was Phoenix’s ninth win in 10 games against the Lakers, the Suns’ best stretch ever in their 47th year of playing the Lakers.
And, strangest thing, the Lakers (2-9) haven’t won two consecutive games since late February. Maybe Nick Young knew what he was doing while celebrating that meaningless victory over Boston as if it was the last great thing ever.
There will be old-school boxing-out drills at practice this week after the Lakers got clobbered on the offensive boards, 18-7. This is something Coach Byron Scottpromises.
“Oh yeah. We’re definitely having them this week,” he said crisply. “I guarantee you.”
Scott also didn’t want to hear about the Lakers maybe getting fatigued in the second night of a back-to-back set.
“That’s, to me, a bunch of crap,” he said. “It’s basketball. You come ready to play. I thought our guys gave an effort but I thought [the Suns’] effort was 10 times better.”
Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson again did his part on offense (20 points), but the Suns’ starting guards were the true stars of the night. Eric Bledsoe, typically Point Guard 1A, had 21 points while Brandon Knight, usually Point Guard 1B, had his first career triple-double — 30 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds at Talking Stick Resort Arena.
Knight came into the game averaging a less gaudy but still admirable 19.1 points, 3.9 assists and 3.7 rebounds.
On one embarrassing Lakers play, Knight dribbled in from the three-point line and faked a drive to his right. Marcelo Huertas got spun around and skidded to the floor as Knight simply stepped back for an easy three-pointer.
When D’Angelo Russell was drafted with the second overall pick last June, the Lakers envisioned him teaming with Clarkson as interchangable point guards for many, many successful years.
Russell missed his first six shots Monday and made his night look better only with some late scoring (13 points overall).
He hoped to eventually get past the tantalizing “backcourt of the future” label with Clarkson. He even had some advice on how to do it.
“Trusting each other, being able to play off each other,” Russell said. “I get energy off him and he gets energy off me being able to rebound and run the offense. I would just say trusting each other.”
How does that happen?
“I don’t know,” Russell said. “That’s something that I guess we’re trying to figure out.”
The other Lakers’ youngster, Julius Randle, bumped into foul trouble and had six points and five rebounds in 25 minutes.
After the game, Young was almost on his hands and knees, looking for the back of his earring stud. He found it, eventually, though a phone flashlight had to be played back and forth across the locker-room carpet a few times.
Maybe the Lakers will get lucky and find some consistency from their young ones. Until then, the light from this season, only 11 games old, remains dim and shrouded.(Mike Bresnahan)
Link: http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-suns-20151117-story.html
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