Jake LaRavia has proven to be the perfect tonic for the resurgent Los Angeles Lakers ahead of Tuesday’s road clash with the New Orleans Pelicans.
The versatile wing, who signed as a free agent last summer, is in season-best form — his surge arriving just when his team needed his two-way punch most.
LaRavia starred twice against his old side as Los Angeles notched a pair of home wins over the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-day span.
LaRavia followed a 21-point, nine-rebound performance against Memphis on Friday with 26 points in Sunday’s 120-114 come-from-behind victory.
Luka Doncic (36 points, nine boards, eight assists) and LeBron James (26 points, 10 assists) were typically stellar.
But with regular starters Austin Reaves (left calf strain) and Rui Hachimura (right calf strain) sidelined for both wins — and both set to miss the New Orleans trip — LaRavia stepped up as the Lakers’ third option.
“You’re not going to count on him scoring 26 a night,” Los Angeles coach JJ Redick said. “He’s had a number of scoring games for us. We knew that he was, by the metrics, a disruptive defender, something we were really searching for because we were bottom-third in the league last year in blocks, steals and deflections. He is probably better defensively (than anticipated). He’s been one of our most consistent guys, if not our most consistent guy, on that end of the floor.”
The only Laker to play every game this season, LaRavia’s ability to impact defensively make him more valuable than what the box score displayed in both Memphis fixtures.
“I play really hard,” LaRavia said. “I try and understand the tendencies of the player that I’m guarding. I’m not the most laterally quick player, I’m not the most athletic, but I can understand what players like to do and what their tendencies are and I can kind of play off that. And I am really good at getting deflections and playing with my hands.”
The Pelicans, last in the Western Conference standings, will have their work cut out after their losing streak was extended to seven with Sunday’s 125-106 defeat against the host Miami Heat.
New Orleans did have one moment to celebrate, though, when Trey Murphy III — who had 27 points, including 7 of 15 makes from deep — became the franchise’s all-time leader in 3-pointers.
“It’s great,” Murphy said. “Especially getting it this early (in my career) for me, I started off my rookie year pretty roughly. Being able to get it in my fifth year is a big testament to the work as well as my teammates finding me and the Pelicans giving me an opportunity.”
Murphy’s fourth trey took past former teammate CJ McCollum’s franchise record of 692.
“It’s impressive what he’s done,” New Orleans interim coach James Borrego said. “Since he’s been in the league, his growth deserves a ton of credit. He’s put the work in, he’s a tremendous worker, he’s going to have a wonderful career here. He’s already put up some big numbers. Proud of him. He’s fantastic, keeps growing every year, adding to his game. He’s tremendous and he deserves all the credit for that.”
Borrego was in no doubt as to where the Pelicans let themselves down most in Miami.
“Turnovers cost us,” he said. “That was the game — 26 turnovers, 17 at the half. Some of that was careless, some of that was their aggression, some of that was rim decisions, paint decisions.”
The Lakers have won their past seven meetings against New Orleans — including two this season — and 10 of the past 11.
