Yahoo Sports senior NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor is joined by 13-year NBA veteran Marcus Morris to discuss the struggles for Los Angeles in its first round series against Minnesota and how the team has found itself in a 3-1 hole entering Wednesday’s Game 5. Hear the full conversation on “The Kevin O’Connor Show” and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.
Video Transcript
Why is Anthony Evers in one on one is in a sentence in a playoff game?
Like, why is he playing one on one?
Luca’s not playing one on one.
They’re bringing a double team every time they get a chance.
Why is he playing one on one when you know if I’m up 11, the only way they’re coming back to win this game.
Is that Anthony Edwards changed his number from whatever it is to 23, like he has been doing, like looking like Michael Jordan and pulling up for 3s, getting to the lane, getting fouled.
If I’m gonna lose with Anthony Evers making a pocket passes the Nas Reid and we’re getting a shot from somebody else in the clutch.
I’m OK with that.
But I’m not OK with is Anthony Evers being able to take over a game by just playing one on one because we believe in our defenders.
We know that.
Luca is not gonna defend.
I’m not seeing coaching adjustments in real time by JJ Redick.
It’s not in real time, right?
We’re, we’re asking LeBron James to do to play center, power forward, small forward at 40 years old, be efficient, score the ball, get guys in, in the right shots, and make the biggest shots of the game.
Like, at some point, we got to figure out, OK, this is, don’t, this has something to do with Luca and not playing defense, Niko might look smart.
No, he does not.
We knew Luca was don’t play defense.
He just got out to the finals last year and not playing defense.
His defense didn’t get them to the finals.
They didn’t have crazy lockdown defenders.
They had a couple guys that defend and they had to send it, it was a well-constructed team.
But this series is coming down to the others playing really well.
This is not about Luca and what LeBron is doing because they are dominating the series.
Who else outside of them is dominating for the Lakers?
No one.
AR is playing solid basketball.
Rui, I think he could step his level up a little bit more.
Outside of that, who’s playing well?
You look at the Wolves Randall is playing well.
JD McDaniel is playing really well.
Nas Reid is playing really well, and Anthony Evers is playing.
That’s 4 guys that had 20 points in this series.
So this is not being won by the superstar.
This is being won by the others on each team and the others of Minnesota are winning the battle by a wide margin.
Not like by a wide, these guys look like superstars and they’re not backing down.
So it’s just, that’s just what it is.
You, you get out, you’re getting out coach, and the others are just dominating this series.