Lakers takeaways: Jake LaRavia sets the tone in starting lineup

This is what Lakers imagined when they nearly ruined the NBA with a deal that brought Luka Doncic to Los Angeles.

Doncic and LeBron James scored 30 points each in the same game for just the third time as teammates on Friday, which helped The Lakers beat the Memphis Grizzlies 128-121. V Crypto.com Arena. Doncic led the way with 34 points, making 17 of 20 shots from the free throw line, maintaining his NBA-best scoring average, while James scored 31 points on 12 of 18 shooting with nine rebounds and six assists.

The Lakers (21-11) needed the 41-year-old James to be at his best. They blew 13- and 15-point leads in the first and second quarters, respectively, but put together a 12-2 run in the fourth to improve their record in clutch games to 11-0.

“It seemed like almost every time we needed a bucket, he just wanted [it]”, coach JJ Redick said of James, “Whether he was driving the basketball, getting to the paint, getting up two feet, he was just phenomenal today.”

Here are three takeaways from this victory:

Jake LaRavia will reprise his role.

James and Doncic led the way, but another player set the strongest tone for the night.

“Obviously it all started with Jake,” James said.

Jake LaRavia scored 21 points, converting three of six three-point attempts, making nine rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot. In the starting lineup for the injured Rui Hachimura (calf), LaRavia brought a needed spark of energy to the defense and also struck early to add scoring touch.

“When I just talk about the roles and the number of hats I can wear with this team, sometimes this is what happens some nights,” LaRavia said. “Other nights I'm a defender, a setter, a breaker, things like that. So I just continue to play confidently throughout the game, but also understand what my role is going to be in each game.”

The Lakers coveted the 24-year-old 6-foot-7 forward in the offseason because of his defensive versatility and offensive three-point shooting. He made his first 3-pointer on Friday. He then caught another mid-range jumper 28 seconds later. He scored 11 points in the first quarter and 18 in the first half.

LaRavia knew almost immediately that this could finally be his night again.

LaRavia hasn't scored 20 points in a game since Nov. 2 as his playing time has fluctuated based on the Lakers' ever-changing injury reports. He's also shooting 30.9% from three, a career-low after shooting 42.3% from long range last season.

But LaRavia asked his teammates to keep their trust in him while he worked with assistant coach Beau Levesque to sharpen his shot again.

“He says, 'Control the inputs and the results will manifest themselves,'” LaRavia said of the coach. “That's what I'm doing now. I'm just working on my shot, starting with the basics again and just moving forward. And, you know, hopefully I can find my rhythm again. And tonight was just the beginning.”

Friday marked LaRavia's first game in which he made three 3-pointers since Oct. 29, when he made five of six against the Timberwolves. viral moment of fans screaming “Who's number 12?”

Jackson Hayes gets the final nod

Last year, Jackson Hayes watched the Lakers' season end from the bench after he was dropped from the playoff rotation in the first round against Minnesota. The 7-foot center started the first four playoff games but never played more than 10 minutes in each as his role was reduced to I don’t play at all in the decisive fifth game.

After being replaced, Hayes said he had something to prove this season.

On Tuesday, he made a big statement by earning the final minutes starter Deandre Ayton. Hayes played 11 minutes and nine seconds of a tight fourth quarter and finished with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting.

Ayton had four points and six rebounds, but the Lakers were down by one in his 24 minutes, 49 seconds compared to a plus-eight scoring margin in Hayes' 23 minutes, 11 seconds.

“He played better,” Redick said of the decision to play Hayes late in the game.

Hayes has 25 points on 10-of-11 shooting in the last two games since returning from an ankle injury. On defense, Hayes added two steals, two rebounds and a blocked shot on Friday. Hayes is shooting a career-best 78%, but he misses the league's official leaderboard with just 64 shots on 82 attempts.

Doncic praised Hayes for his improvement in the pick-and-roll, noting how the center finds “the right pocket” while Doncic runs the ball.

“His ability to control the paint was huge for us,” the guard said. Marcus Smartwho recorded a triple-double with 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. “…Just his ability to get the ball at the highest point when we throw it and then defend to change shots, whether he's blocking them or just changing shots for us, allows our defense to get even more steals from our defenders. To have that kind of tenacity that he brings, it's huge.”

Dalton Knecht will get more playing time

The weakening defense was a major theme of the Lakers' December struggles, but the offense was also out of sync during the Lakers' 5-7 months. In December, they ranked 18th in offensive rating and made 33.9% of their three-point attempts, ranking 25th in the league.

With several of the team's top scorers currently injured, Redick opens the door for a sophomore forward. Dalton Knecht to return to the rotation. According to Redick, Knecht will get “consistent” playing time over the next few weeks, but he will be judged on more than just his shooting percentage as he tries to stay in the lineup.

“Play hard,” Redick said before the game about what Knecht needs to do to stay in the lineup. “That's been the biggest game highlight for him all season. He's not going to be judged on whether he makes shots or misses. That helps. When you go through a period and you feel like your team isn't playing hard, you need to play guys who consistently play hard.”

Knecht lost to the Grizzlies in 10 minutes, 47 seconds, missing both of his 3-point attempts and committing one turnover.

In his short NBA career, Knecht shot 37.3 percent from three, but struggled to stay in the lineup due to defensive mistakes. He grabbed Maxi Kleber's minutes at the end of the Lakers' rotation after not playing in the first half of a game since Dec. 23 against Phoenix, a huge loss.

The Lakers are burying themselves on their bench as injuries pile up. Austin Reeves remains out of the game at least another three weeks due to a calf strain. Striker Ad Thiero was diagnosed with a right MCL sprain on New Year's Eve and will be re-evaluated in four weeks.

Defenseman Gabe Vincent is close to returning from a back injury that cost him seven games. The Lakers hope he can play in at least one of their upcoming road games, Redick said: against New Orleans on Tuesday or at San Antonio on Wednesday.