Lakers thump Warriors behind Malik Beasley’s sizzling shooting

LOS ANGELES — Blowout wins have been a rarity for the Lakers, even at home. But with a home-heavy stretch approaching in March, it’s worth wondering if fans might start getting used to the purple-and-gold streamer celebrations after nearly a year-and-a-half of lean times.

The Lakers picked up where they left off in the most meaningful way: comfortably beating a team ahead of them in the standings. Without Steph Curry in the fold, the Golden State Warriors couldn’t stand toe-to-toe with the rebuilt Lakers in a 124-111 rout – a result that feels like it’s becoming surprisingly routine in L.A. since the trade deadline.

The most surprising part was who led the way: LeBron James and Anthony Davis were neither the first- nor second-leading scorers for the evening. James was just 5 for 20 from the field for 13 points with nine rebounds and eight assists, while Davis took only five shots, finishing with 12 points, 12 rebounds and two blocked shots.

The Lakers’ top bucket-getter was Malik Beasley, the trade pickup out of Utah, who finished 9 for 16 from the field for 25 points, going 7 for 11 from 3-point range. By early in the fourth quarter, Warriors coach Steve Kerr emptied the bench and ceded defeat as the Lakers’ lead ballooned past 20 points.

What stuck with Beasley was an interjection by Davis during the morning shootaround session: When he passed up an open look to move the ball to Davis, the big man spat back at him.

“He threw it back, and he was like, ‘Shoot the ball!’ So we had to do it all over again,” Beasley said. “Same with coach, he told me to shoot the ball, keep shooting. And that feels good when you’re a shooter. It gets my confidence high, AD and LeBron keep saying, ‘We gonna get ours, so do what you do and keep spacing the floor and knock down shots.’”

Before the trade deadline, the Lakers’ last double-digit win was on Jan. 6 against the Atlanta Hawks. Their last two – with the All-Star break in between – have both been by at least 13, the final minutes played out in garbage time. Blowouts have been few and far between for the Lakers this season – their shooting additions might point a way out of the wilderness.

It was the second win over the Warriors in their past four games, but this one was won behind a 36-24 effort in the third quarter – an area Davis cited as a point of emphasis during Wednesday’s practice. Austin Reaves was the biggest swing piece in that frame, scoring 13 of his 17 points.

While James and Davis had highlights, each delivering soaring dunks, they were limited to just 26 minutes apiece. Coach Darvin Ham had hoped to limit the workload on his workhorses, who have both been injury-prone over the last few seasons. While not wanting to give his team any slack, Ham acknowledged that the trade deadline moves have helped the Lakers’ margin for error.

“We had to shift some pieces around within our rotation, but at the end of the day, I think it brings more balance,” Ham said. “We have guys in that second unit that have been in the starting lineup and played starter’s minutes and closed games for us and had big moments in big games. So we have confidence in the entire roster.”

The biggest question mark for the Lakers coming out of the game was D’Angelo Russell, the star (re)acquistion of the trade deadline. In his fourth start for the team, Russell stepped on Donte DiVincenzo’s foot as he attempted an inbound pass.

Russell finished with just two points and three assists in nine minutes against the Warriors, with whom he had a short stint during the 2019-20 season. The Lakers confirmed that an X-ray showed no sign of fracture, and Russell is considered day-to-day. Russell scoffed at the setback, but said he’d try to bounce back in practice Friday: “I’m not worried.”

But Beasley was more than enough from the new additions, nailing his first three shots of the game in the first two minutes alone. While his outside shot was his most dangerous weapon, Beasley also showcased a third-quarter floater that might keep defenses guessing.

Davis said the Lakers anticipated that the Warriors, led by a pair of savvy post defenders in Draymond Green and Kevon Looney, would collapse on him, leaving shooters like Beasley open in the corner. Their two-man game was a key feature of the Lakers’ attack on Thursday.

“It kind of reminds me of me and (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope) had that action where it’s single action and he’d come off shooting and you can’t go under,” Davis said. “(Beasley) can shoot it and can drive, he’ll just make a read whether he finishes or throw a lob. So, we have that ability and he has that ability to playmake. So, having a piece like that, able to space the floor definitely helps us a lot.”

Among the bench performers, the top standout was Reaves, who was 6 for 6 from the field and 4 for 4 from the free-throw line, and he helped lead a 9-0 run at the end of the third quarter that extended the margin from solid to comfortable. Five bench players overall finished with double figures, including Dennis Schröder (13 points) who started the second half for Russell.

James said during the All Star break that if the Lakers punch their ticket to the playoffs, he believes they can compete with anyone. Ham is inclined to agree even with 22 games remaining to see how things play out.

“You have to be confident completely, wholly in your ball club and everyone in the building,” Ham said. “So yes, I do like our chances. But again, we have to worry about tomorrow.”