Category: Los Angeles Lakers Blog

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Rajon Rondo on the Lakers versus Celtics rivalry

Veteran Lakers guard Rajon Rondo has seen some things. And knows the Lakers versus Celtics rivalry quite well. Via the OC Register:

Rajon Rondo’s best memory in T.D. Garden is June 17, 2008. Kevin Garnett screamed how anything was possible, and green-and-white confetti sprayed from the ceiling as the franchise won its 17th NBA championship. But as Trevor Ariza and the Lakers left, already shattered to have lost the Finals, they faced a very different reception: a rowdy crowd of Celtics fans literally beating on them, then rocking their bus back and forth as they left the arena.

“Yeah, that was a good ole Bostonian ass-whooping,” Rondo said on Friday morning, wearing the Lakers logo across his chest while thinking back on his nine seasons as a Celtic.

These are, by comparison, fallow years for the cross-coastal rivalry which has defined so much of NBA history and is often rough around the fringe. Lakers-Celtics always does have an extra edge to it, but it’s not quite the feeling of when both teams are unquestioned leaders in their respective conference. In fact, this latest installment finds both the Lakers (8-8) and Celtics (7-8) both in need of some wins to get back on track.

Rondo said the most intense part of the rivalry has been “buried” because the two franchises haven’t met in the playoffs since 2010. Growing up in Louisville, Ky., he said he didn’t understand how much power the rivalry held until he was in the thick of it.

Rondo has stories to tell. I look forward to hearing their extended versions after his NBA career wraps up.

Lakers sign Chaundee Brown Jr., waive Sekou Doumbouya

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard Chaundee Brown Jr. to a two-way contract.

And in a related move, the Lakers have waived forward Sekou Doumbouya.

In one game with the South Bay Lakers this season, Brown Jr. tallied 23 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. He appeared in five preseason games for Los Angeles, averaging 7.6 points and 1.4 rebounds in 12.1 minutes.

Carmelo Anthony has been a good addition to the Lakers

The Lakers are still finding their way this season, but one bright spot has been the addition of reserve forward Carmelo Anthony. Here’s the Los Angeles Times on it:

Fans’ cheers were still echoing in Staples Center when Carmelo Anthony, wearing street clothes, tinted glasses and a thoughtful smile, came backstage to meet the media Monday night.

The sellout crowd of 18,997 roared at his every move, soaking up the energy Anthony brought off the Lakers’ bench and into the game against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday and reflecting it back at him in cheers and chants. He was in his element, putting the Lakers ahead for good in overtime by scoring the last three points of his season-high 29 as they held on for a 126-123 victory, a game that will make few highlight films except those that preserve the best moments of Anthony’s stellar career.

There were so many good moments on Monday — the seven-for-10 shooting from three-point range, the warm bond between him and the crowd, the boost he gave a team that still hasn’t figured out how to mesh without the injured LeBron James — that it was difficult to imagine Anthony’s career appeared to be over not so long ago.

Released by the Houston Rockets 10 games into the 2018-19 season, Anthony was out of the NBA until the Portland Trail Blazers signed him in November 2019. “I honestly never understood it. I really didn’t,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said.

Anthony gave Portland two solid seasons coming off the bench before he signed with the Lakers in August. “He’s obviously got a lot in the tank and we’re excited to have him,” Vogel said. “I just never understood it.”

The Lakers are 6-5 this season, which is the 8th best record in the Western conference.

Their leading scorers early in the 2021-22 season are LeBron James at 24.8 points per game, Anthony Davis at 23.9 ppg, Russell Westbrook at 18.8 ppg, then Anthony at 17.6 ppg.

Anthony is hitting 50% FG, and 52% from three-point range.

LeBron is currently injured and has played in just six of the team’s first 11 games.

Lakers add Avery Bradley via waiver wire

The Los Angeles Lakers have been awarded guard Avery Bradley on a waiver claim, it was announced today by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.

Per SCNG via the Press Enterprise, “Bradley was cut earlier this preseason by the Golden State Warriors, and he gives the Lakers immediate depth at positions where they’ve seen injuries early on. ESPN reported that Bradley is on a non-guaranteed contract. The 6-foot-2 Bradley played 49 games for the Lakers during the 2019-20 season, starting primarily as the defender on the opposing ball-handler and picking up full-court assignments.”

Bradley returns to Los Angeles after averaging 8.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 49 games for the Lakers during the 2019-20 Championship season.

Lakers sign Jay Huff to two-way contract

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed center Jay Huff to a two-way contract.

Huff appeared in 25 games (all starts) for Virginia last season, averaging 13.0 points (.585 FG%, .387 3P%), 7.1 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 2.6 blocks in 27.0 minutes per game.

The 2020-21 ACC All-Defensive First Team selection led the conference in field goal percentage (.585) and scored in double figures 18 times last season.

In four seasons at Virginia, Huff averaged 7.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 101 career games and helped his team win the 2019 NCAA Championship.

Lakers sign Sekou Doumbouya to two-way contract

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed Sekou Doumbouya to a two-way contract.

Doumbouya has appeared in 94 NBA games (30 starts) for the Detroit Pistons, averaging 5.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 17.3 minutes. Originally drafted with the 15th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Doumbouya played 16 NBA G League games (14 starts) for Grand Rapids during the 2019-20 season, averaging 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 27.0 minutes per game.

Lakers forward Trevor Ariza out after ankle surgery

Lakers forward Trevor Ariza had an arthroscopic debridement procedure performed on his right ankle today.

Team doctors will reevaluate Ariza in approximately eight weeks.

Per ESPN.com, “Ariza returned to L.A. for a second stint with the franchise after winning a championship alongside Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol in 2009, signing a veterans minimum contract after being recruited by Russell Westbrook to join shortly after Westbrook was traded from Washington.”

Lakers sign Austin Reaves to a standard NBA contract

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard Austin Reaves to a standard NBA contract.

Reaves originally signed a two-way contract with Los Angeles on August 3, 2021 and appeared in five games for the Lakers at the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League, averaging 6.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steal in 22.2 minutes. In two games at the California Classic, Reaves averaged 9.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.0 blocks in 26.5 minutes.

Reaves appeared in 25 games (all starts) for Oklahoma last season, averaging 18.3 points (.443 FG%, .305 3P%), 5.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 34.5 minutes. The 2020-21 All-Big 12 First Team selection led the conference in free throws made (147) and ranked fifth in true shooting percentage (.579) last season. In four years at Oklahoma and Wichita State, Reaves averaged 10.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 34.7 percent (156-449 3FG) from three-point range.