In lakersLook for someone to provide energy against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, he found it with WayneGabriel.
And the Lakers rode with Gabriel in the all-important fourth quarter, playing him alongside Anthony Davis, relying on the backup center as a defender and rebounder.
Gabriel did the job, playing all but one second in the fourth quarter, playing 23:16 overall, while collecting 11 rebounds to go along with the nine points.
It was “just his energy” that allowed Lakers coach Darwin Hamm to trust Gabriel.
Ham said, “He has a great nose for the ball.” “[He had]11 rebounds. He tries to defend, tries to protect the rim. … He’s just a spark plug, another one of our spark plugs. His size, up on the floor and His ability to run down, clean up loose balls and get offensive rebounds and putbacks. Plays really good defense. And he showed all of that tonight. So we’re with him.”
He did well, helping the team double up dangerous Dallas guard Kyrie Irving, it was a painful night for Gabriel and the Lakers, who lost the game On a last-second three-pointer by Maxi Kleber.
Gabriel said, “It gives a pain, brother, for real.” “Tired of losing these close games.”
Gabriel entered with 4:16 to play in the third quarter and played until the final buzzer, with the exception of a momentary substitution and quick reentry, his play was infectious and inspiring.
Gabriel had four rebounds in the fourth quarter, all offensive.
When Irving got the ball late in the game, Gabriel was helping Dennis Schroder’s defense, using his long arms and sliding his 6-9 body to prevent the Dallas star from taking more shots.
“It’s part of one of the things with my skill set, whether it’s the mobility that I have with a player like Kyrie or whether I’m a big guard, to be able to double, kind of slide and get the ball off my feet.” Try to get out.” hands and that was something that was my job,” Gabriel said. “And then when my man goes in for an assist, get offensive rebounds and that is another thing that I am able to bring value to the team.
“And just playing with a lot of energy and playing with a high intelligence and understanding how to play with different players. Like today, today I was playing with AD for the first time in a while and I think they The minutes were looking good and hopefully will come down later.” Down the line we get more opportunities for this as well.
free-throw crisis
The Lakers’ poor free-throw shooting hurt them badly. He got to the line more than necessary, shooting 31 free throws.
But they made just 19, or 61.3%.
This will not work. It didn’t.
The Lakers shot 64.3% from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter when the game was about to end for them.
“And we did the work we wanted,” Ham said. “Every game we want to make, and that’s to win the free-throw line. We got 31 attempts but you have to make more than 19 attempts. We make our free throws, we’re probably not having that conversation.
Davis made one of two free throws with 6.7 seconds left, giving the Lakers a two-point lead, but leaving the door open for Kleber to hit a three-pointer for Dallas over a stunned Lakers team.
“I shot a little too right. We would have been up three after that point,” Davis said. “Still processing it. I mean, you think about it, three up, even if he makes three in overtime. … I mean, a tough defeat.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times,
