Lakers News: LA Moves Up in New Power NBA Rankings

Los Angeles Lakers star forward LeBron James made a return following a two-game absence due to a left foot injury, resulting in a big win against the Memphis Grizzlies.

As a result, the Lakers moved up a spot in this week’s NBA Power Rankings, climbing from No. 19 last week to No. 18 this week. Following the much needed win, Los Angeles improves to 14-12 sitting in the No. 10 spot in the Western Conference.

A win for the Lakers was critical headed into Sunday, as they’ve lost 8 of the last 11 matchups. Los Angeles has also struggled this season beating teams who are at or above .500. The team led by veterans LeBron James and Anthony Davis is currently 10-1 against teams under .500, and only 4-11 against the the 17 teams in the NBA who are at or above.

The Lakers biggest issues have been scoring against the more competitive teams in the league, only scoring just 106.1 points per 100 possessions against teams over .500 compared to the latter scoring 119.8 points per 100 possessions against teams under .500.

Defensively, Los Angeles also has lots of room for improvement, as they rank 21st in the NBA for defensive rating. It’s been indicated the Lakers are allowing 116.1 points per 100 possessions showing glaring signs of inconsistency and missing pieces.

Following Sunday’s big victory against the Grizzlies, the Lakers showcased glimpses of improvement on both ends of the floor. Not only did LeBron James nearly record another triple-double, but Anthony Davis was dominant hosting a 40-point clinic against one of their conference rivals.

For a large portion of the matchup, it appeared the Lakers had the game under control. With a swelling 20 point lead in the third quarter, fans were convinced Los Angeles would steam roll right through Memphis.

It wasn’t until veteran center Anthony Davis went down with a shoulder injury did the Grizzlies stage a massive comeback to cut the lead to single digits by the 4th quarter.

Luckily the Lakers showed their resilience as Davis quickly made a return to clinch the nail-biting matchup with a hugely needed win.

The Lakers also took a look at a new starting lineup, throwing shooting guard Max Christie to start alongside LeBron James. Chrsite finished with seven points and two rebounds, and it will be interesting to see if coach JJ Redick continues looking at new rotations as the season pushes ahead.

Looking ahead, the Lakers prepare to face off against the Sacramento Kings twice in Week 9.

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