The Lakers started the 2020-21 NBA season with a loss to the Clippers on Tuesday, but enjoyed a convincing win over the Mavericks on Christmas Day today.
But beyond the team’s 1-1 record after two games, the bigger picture is that two of their new additions are playing as well as expected:
Dennis Schroder’s first two games as a Laker: 14 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists Tuesday, 18 points and six assists today. His shooting was off in that first game, but that’s a minor footnote.
Montrezl Harrell’s first two games as a Laker: 17 points (6/7 FG), 10 rebounds and three assists Tuesday, 22 points (10/13 FG) and seven rebounds today.
Schroder has been starting, while Harrell has come off the bench. But that doesn’t matter. Both can produce points in a hurry, and make LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers as a whole even better than they were before.
Which is scary for the league, since this team also happen to be the defending NBA champs.
An area of concern for the Lakers is the center spot. New addition Marc Gasol, who turns 36 next month, isn’t off to a great start. It’s something to watch in the next few weeks.
