Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant drives past Los Angeles Lakers security guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the first half of an NBA basketball game on Saturday, April 10, 2021 in New York. (AP Photo / Corey Sipkin)
Los Angeles Lakers Center Montrezl Harrell (15) races in the second half of an NBA basketball game on Saturday, April 10, 2021 between Brooklyn Nets striker Joe Harris (12) and striker Blake Griffin (2 ) and striker Kevin Durant (7) New York. (AP Photo / Corey Sipkin)
Los Angeles Lakers center Andre Drummond, 2, ricochets off Bruce Brown (left) and LaMarcus Aldridge in the first half of an NBA basketball game on Saturday, April 10, 2021 in New York (Brooklyn Nets). (AP Photo / Corey Sipkin)
Los Angeles Lakers Center Andre Drummond (2) will be defended by multiple Brooklyn Nets in the first half of an NBA basketball game on Saturday, April 10, 2021 in New York (AP Photo / Corey Sipkin).
Brooklyn Nets security guard Kyrie Irving, 11, will be ejected after his second technical foul in the second half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, April 10, 2021 in New York . (AP Photo / Corey Sipkin)
Dennis Schroeder, 17, of the Los Angeles Lakers defends himself against Kyrie Irving, 11, of the Brooklyn Nets in the first half of an NBA basketball game on Saturday, April 10, 2021 in New York (AP Photo / Corey Sipkin).
Brooklyn Nets security guard Kyrie Irving shoots over downtown Los Angeles Lakers Andre during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Saturday, April 10, 2021 in New York (AP Photo / Corey Sipkin) Drummond, and the security guard Dennis Schroeder (17).
Los Angeles Lakers center Andre Drummond defends himself against Brooklyn Nets forward Joe Harris in the first half of an NBA basketball game on Saturday, April 10, 2021 (AP Photo / Corey Sipkin ).
Before Thursday, Andre Drummond hadn’t played a single game as Laker. It will be days before Ben McLemore enters the team’s practice facility. But both were essential when the Lakers (33-20) – just ahead of their four top scorers this season – stunned the Brooklyn Nets (126-101), which led the Eastern Conference, in their own building.
Drummond had the team’s top 20 points and 11 rebounds in the color, while McLemore shone with five direct field goals on his way to 17 points in the second half.
It was dramatic considering who wasn’t available: LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma, Marc Gasol, and Wesley Matthews. But the win may have taught the Lakers more about themselves than anyone this season.
« I learned a lot from today’s game that we have a lot of people in this locker room who are very tough, » said Drummond. « Regardless of who is on the other side of the court, they’ll come out and play. »
Perhaps the most important contribution a newcomer made came from the statistics sheet. In the third quarter, after Dennis Schröder was thrown out with double technical fouls in a spit with Nets star Kyrie Irving, Drummond huddled the remaining Lakers and urged them to take on the defense.
While the Lakers led most of the evening, they started from there with 32-15. The nets shot just 34 percent in the second half and didn’t make any of their 15 3-point attempts.
« Dre will be huge for us, » said coach Frank Vogel. « It’s great to see that kind of leadership early on in his tenure with the Lakers. »
Schröder gave a spirited performance in the first half and finished the race with 19 points in 20 minutes, although he had seriously injured his tailbone. But the Lakers also had to deal without him when he was ejected.
Referee Zach Zarba later made it clear that Irving was thrown at Schröder for incessant chatter after the pair had already received a technical foul. Schröder received his second technology to say goodbye to Irving, a mockery made under NBA rules.
When Irving trudged into the tunnel after 18 points, he threw his jersey into the stands. James Harden already had a hamstring injury. While Kevin Durant scored 22 points at game height, one Brooklyn superstar wasn’t enough to get away with it.
It seemed like the Lakers entered the Barclays Center with a boast for which they had little earthly reason. The theme of the team’s morning meeting in New York was that they would have the chance to win this game. And while they’ve already won overtime thrillers or taken home impressive road wins this season, context meant everything to a team to do with their luck with injuries.
Others agreed: After the team had improved to 5-7 since James’ injury, Vogel flooded his players with individual props, even the injured who were training from the sidelines. The absences made way for unannounced contributors like Markieff Morris (14 points, three steals) Alfonzo McKinnie (10 points, 9 rebounds).
The Lakers shot a season best time of 19 to 34 behind the bow. Once during the course without James they had fewer sales (15) than their opponent (19). Related articles
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The win allowed them to keep a firm grip on the number 5 in the West as James and Davis seem weeks, not days, from a return to court.
The surprise of the evening could have been McLemore – although none of the Lakers seemed surprised and kept calling for him when the journeyman (who signed on Tuesday) caught fire in the second half, which helped the team to recover to withdraw. Vogel noted that McLeMore caught passes both high above his head and at his feet and fired the shots anyway.
McLemore never doubted himself either: « As soon as I see one going in, it’s a wrap, » he said.
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