Matt Blewett-Imagn Images Rui Hachimura showed flashes of being able to contribute as a small ball five on defense during the regular season, but his weaknesses on that end were taken advantage of in the playoffs. Teams across the league have benefited from acquiring multi-positional forwards to boost their chances of real contention. Players like Aaron Gordon and … [Read more...] about Is Rui Hachimura a reliable small ball five defensively?
Lakers to play in California Classic
Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images The Lakers will participate in the California Classic, along with the Warriors, Heat and Spurs, this July. The Golden State Warriors announced on Wednesday that they will host the California Classic Summer League this year. The four teams participating will include the Lakers, Heat, Spurs and Warriors. Heat, Spurs, … [Read more...] about Lakers to play in California Classic
Weekly Sparks Players Grades: A team struggling to stack wins
With the Sparks losing three of their last four games, this young team is struggling to put together complete performances. It’s been a rough week for Sparks basketball. They’ve lost three of their last four games, only beating the winless Chicago Sky on Sunday. While each defeat has its explanation, the lack of offensive production has been a constant for the 2025 Sparks. … [Read more...] about Weekly Sparks Players Grades: A team struggling to stack wins
Season Review: Dorian Finney-Smith
Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images This season, Dorian Finney-Smith was exactly the 3-and-D wing the Lakers have needed for years. Welcome to our annual Lakers season in review series, where we’ll look back at each player on the team’s roster this season and evaluate if they should be part of the future of the franchise. Today, we continue with a look at Dorian … [Read more...] about Season Review: Dorian Finney-Smith
Dorian Finney-Smith has become the Lakers new plus-minus king
Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images Dorian Finney-Smith made big-time plays that did not show up in the box score, but the Lakers showed to be better when he was on the floor. Like any statistic, plus-minus has its flaws. But it can also have specific positive or negative indicators over a long enough sample. A “plus-minus king,” is usually bestowed upon an unsung hero … [Read more...] about Dorian Finney-Smith has become the Lakers new plus-minus king