Lakers Reverse The Script On The Frustrated Grizzlies

In Game 1, Los Angeles appeared to be a young, motivated club, while Memphis' injury-plagued lineup was undone by the Lakers' lesser-known role players.

When Austin Reaves let the emotion out, the shot had hardly counted, bouncing three times before landing through the rim. "I'm him," yelled Reaves to no one in particular, though the 18,000-plus astonished fans inside FedEx Forum most likely felt it.

The Lakers won Game 1 of their first-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Grizzlies could be in big trouble. Anthony Davis was unstoppable. LeBron James performed admirably. Reaves and Rui Hachimura scored 52 points together. Meanwhile, Ja Morant was forced to leave the game after landing hard on his right hand. Although X-rays were negative, Morant confessed after the game that his participation in Game 2 was "in jeopardy."

"He's in some pain," Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins explained. "That was a tough fall." More analysis in the next two days."

This was no ordinary second-seed against. seventh-seed matchup. The Grizzlies stumbled into the playoffs. Steven Adams is no longer with us. Brandon Clarke, as well. Morant was already dealing with a hand injury before to his recent setback. Meanwhile, the Lakers were 18-9 following the trade deadline and won six of their final seven games.

However, after Game 1, it's reasonable to question if the Lakers should be considered favourites.

Davis was a genius. He had 22 points. He grabbed 12 rebounds. He deflected seven shots. "He's our middle linebacker," Lakers coach Darvin Ham explained. Davis was waiting for Morant when he drove the automobile. He ended plus-27, seven points ahead of everyone else. Davis collided with Jaren Jackson Jr. late in the second quarter. His arm had gone limp. The ABC halftime broadcast speculated on if the Davis injury curse had struck again. Davis, on the other hand, returned and was the greatest player on the court in the second half.

And he was not alone. After the Lakers clinched a playoff position with a play-in win over Minnesota last week, James and Davis addressed the squad. Both James and Davis have a lot of postseason experience. James (266 games) had more postseason experience than the entire Grizzlies club (215) into Game 1. The rest of the Lakers, though, did not. During L.A.'s four-day break, Ham concentrated on offensive execution. "That's a hell of a team over there," Ham observed. "A top-tier defensive unit. There was no pass shot. "A single pass shot will not work."

The message from James and Davis was straightforward: the playoffs are different. The physical aspect. The tenacity. Players must be more "dialled in," according to James. Understand your responsibilities. Make no mistakes. Don't have several possessions without running back on defence.

"No joking, no nothing," Reaves stated. "With those two guys, you have no choice but to follow their lead." We have a strong opportunity whatever if we lock in."

Reaves was outstanding in his postseason debut. He had 23 points. He hit eight of his thirteen shots. He made three of his five three-pointers. James scored three points in the fourth quarter. With 14, Reaves led the Lakers. "We found something that was going," James explained. "As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Reaves is someone James has held in high respect since signing him in 2021. He recognised "from the first practise" that Reaves wouldn't be a two-way player for long. He gave former coach Frank Vogel credit for allowing Reaves to play through his blunders. "I've been around the game long enough to know some great basketball IQ players," James explained. "I know the type of players who complement my game." "I had a feeling Austin would be that."

Hachimura, as well. On Sunday, Hachimura scored 29 points in 30 minutes. Hachimura's transition to the Lakers has been difficult. According to Hachimura, the roster changes and Los Angeles' injury problems made it "hard to get into a rhythm." Ham pushed him to continue being aggressive. James kept in his ear with good encouragement to bring energy. "He's asked me multiple times, 'What can I do to help the team win?'" said James. "Just his presence, his size, his athleticism—it adds another dynamic."

It's a good one. The Lakers have taken home-court advantage heading into Game 2, and the Grizzlies are unsure if their star will be able to play. This was always going to be a tough series for the favoured. If they can even be called favourites anymore.