National Basketball Association

Lakers: 3 Takeaways From the Preseason Loss vs Nuggets

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Oct 7, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson (6) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

The Lakers blew a late lead and lost to the Denver Nuggets 101-97, but there were a number of bright spots from the game.

Despite losing their first game in front of the home crowd at Staples Center, the Lakers looked much better in their second outing as a team.

Unable to build on their impressive performance Tuesday night against the Sacramento Kings, the 101-97 loss to the Denver Nuggets marks the Lakers first loss of the young NBA preseason, but there were a lot of positives to take away from the game.

The game featured match-ups between last year’s lottery picks, D’Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay, this year’s lottery picks, Brandon Ingram and Jamal Murray, and big men Timofey Mozgov and Jusuf Nurkic and was fun to watch through and through.

From D’Angelo Russell‘s first 20 point game of the season to Brandon Ingram‘s first NBA field goal, here are 3 takeaways from the Lakers loss to the Nuggets.

The Second Unit Continues to Impress

Oct 7, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. (7) and center Tarik Black (28) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

High energy defense has been the name of the game for the Lakers second unit and it’s working.

For the second game in a row, the Lakers’ second unit was a bright spot for the team. Among the players in the Lakers new bench mob is Jordan Clarkson. Clarkson has looked the part of someone who should be starting through two games, but he has no problem coming off the bench.

“As long as I’m on the court,” Clarkson said. “I think I said that in like three interviews already. I’m gonna impact the game. I’m gonna be aggressive on offense. I’m gonna score. I’m gonna get after it defensively, so it’s kinda the same thing to me, for real.”

Clarkson finished the game with 15 points on 6-for-12 shooting and was also a pick pocket with 4 steals. His growth defensively was evident Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings, and he is only getting better each game.

The team has had a hard time in both games getting their defense started and starting Lou Williams probably isn’t the solution to that.

However, Walton likes what he has seen from his second unit. Aside from Walton, Larry Nance Jr. and Tarik Black once again showed that they are a capable front court duo.

They combined for 17 points and 9 rebounds, which is more impressive when you consider none of them forced anything on the offensive end.

Head coach Luke Walton has preached defense since day one of training camp, and through two games the young guys seem to be buying in.

Brandon Ingram Gets His First NBA Bucket

Oct 7, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson (6) celebrates a three point shot by Los Angeles Lakers forward Brandon Ingram against the Denver Nuggets during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

After failing to get anything to fall in his first NBA exhibition game, Brandon Ingram got on the board.

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With another game under his belt, Brandon Ingram is slowly getting a taste of life in the NBA. Ingram still couldn’t get much to fall in his second game, but he did get his first NBA field goal. It came courtesy of a Marcelo Huertas alley-oop pass, which was planned according to Larry Nance Jr.

“That was a set play,” Nance said. “We needed to get B.I. his first Laker bucket.”

Ingram also looked more comfortable shooting the ball. While he only finished with 6 points, he was more aggressive on the offensive end than he was on Tuesday against the Kings.

Points 4, 5, and 6 came from a 3-point bank that sent the Lakers bench into a frenzy. No one, however, was more excited for the rook than Jordan Clarkson.

No one called it sooner or enjoyed @B_Ingram13‘s 3 more than @JClark5on pic.twitter.com/bmpUGZ1fJV

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 8, 2016

He admitted he didn’t actually call bank, despite teammate D’Angelo Russell swearing by it, but the fact that he’s shooting the ball is promising.

Once those shots start falling, Ingram is going to starting looking less and less like a rookie.

D’Angelo Russell Bounces Back From the Preseason Opener

D’Angelo Russell looked like the Russell everyone’s been talking about this summer.

Winter is just around the corner in sunny Los Angeles, California, but the ice in D’Angelo Russell’s veins is already starting to freeze.

In his second game of the season, Russell was easily the best player on the court. He finished the night with 21 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists. Russell, who couldn’t get it going from behind the arc, found his range against the Nuggets, shooting 50 percent from deep.

Russell credited the teams defense for the success on the opposite end of the floor.

“We had fun out there. We were getting stops, you know and that lead to everyone having fun on the offensive end,” Russell said.

If the Lakers want to win games this season, Russell is going to have to contribute on both ends of the floor. Russell also had the chance to face off against the second point guard taken in the 2015 NBA Draft, Emmanuel Mudiay, which might have given him an extra fire in his belly.

One thing fans have yet to see in the preseason is Russell’s post game that he teased in this year’s Summer League. At 6’6, Russell is one of the bigger points guards in the NBA, and he can use his size to bully smaller guards in the paint.

Look to see Russell continue his hot streak when they play the Denver Nuggets against, Sunday at Citizens Bank Arena. Hopefully, Luke Walton won’t call of the dogs this time.

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