The Toronto Raptors are opening a four-game road trip with a stop at Crypto.com Arena to face the Los Angeles Lakers, and the matchup comes with plenty of uncertainty on both sides.
To get a read on where the Lakers stand, Toronto Raptors On SI spoke with Los Angeles Lakers On SI publisher Ruan Ward, who pointed to a few clear pressure points for Los Angeles. The biggest concern, in his view, is what happens when Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are off the floor and the Lakers have to rely on Collin Sexton and Quentin Grimes in the backcourt.
“It was concerning, for sure. I’m not worried about Sandro Mamukelashvili, but Collin Sexton and Quentin Grimes have some concerning traits.”
Ward said both guards have had stretches that look shaky. He described Grimes as indecisive and Sexton as a bit of a wildcard who can make poor decisions. There’s still time for that to settle down, but he said the early returns haven’t looked good when the Lakers are forced to lean on them.
At the same time, Ward had a much more upbeat read on Sandro Mamukelashvili. He called him one of the team’s best additions so far and said the forward/center can do just about everything on the floor. He also believes Mamukelashvili isn’t being used enough by JJ Redick and his staff, and sees a path where he grows into the team’s sixth man and even enters the NBA Sixth Man of the Year conversation.
Ward also said the most surprising part of the Lakers’ start has been how quickly the group has come together with nine new players. In his view, that kind of early chemistry does not happen often. Even with the concerns around Sexton and Grimes, he believes the front office has assembled a strong roster that can be a force this season.
There are still holes, though. Ward said the Lakers remain thin in the frontcourt behind Kessler, with Kevon Looney having been unplayable. If they can find a backup big they can trust, he thinks the team will be in much better shape with Doncic driving things.
As for Sunday’s game against Toronto, Ward said rebounding and ball security could decide it. He pointed to the Lakers’ struggles on the glass and said they’ll need another big performance from Doncic if they want to get past the Raptors. Turnovers are another problem, especially from Austin Reaves lately, and Doncic has had issues there as well.
If Los Angeles can clean that up, Ward likes its chances. Still, he expects a tight one, similar to the game against the Portland Trail Blazers, and said it should be a hard-fought battle that goes down to the wire. He also noted that the Raptors remain dangerous even without Kawhi Leonard, and that Scottie Barnes looks locked in after scoring 41 against the Orlando Magic, which is why he sees this one as a game that could go either way.
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