You saw this coming. The Memphis Grizzlies-Los Angeles Lakers series has been entertaining for all the reasons we had anticipated.
Of course…
…it was always going to be a Rui Hachimura show. On a team with an aging LeBron James and the oft-injured Anthony Davis, it was always going to be the Japanese import acquired via a midseason trade that would take over.
RUI. HACHIMURA.
— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2023
29 PTS, 6 REB, 5 3PM, 11/14 FG 🔥
Lakers take Game 1 in Memphis. pic.twitter.com/kocNoHj1X1
Hachimura’s road to playoff stardom is conventional. For three and a half seasons, Hachimura stumbled around with the Washington Wizards, who have been content to spin around the NBA’s middle ground for decades. He showed some flashes there but was inconsistent with both his shooting and effort. Maybe it was because of the environment but Hachimura never looked particularly invested in improving beyond his midrange ways.
So, of course, he would easily adapt to the Lakers and become a superstar. Only a fool would doubt the actual Hibachi.
“It was probably the best game he's had in his career. It’s a 7 game series, let’s see if he can do it again on Wednesday.”
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) April 16, 2023
Desmond Bane on Rui Hachimura’s big Game 1 performance 👀pic.twitter.com/88Yv2bioRL
So far, Hachimura has been the Lakers’ best defensive answer for Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr. He’s always flashed a bit of defensive versatility with his quick feet and 6-foot-9 frame and he’s alleviated a lot of the problems the Lakers have had with defending versatile players.
His shooting in this series has been on another level, though. In Game 1, he dropped 29 points, then followed up with a 20-point output in Game 2. He’s shooting 70 percent from the 3-point line, up from his career average of 34 percent. He also became the first Laker to drop 20+ points in back-to-back games since Magic Johnson in 1996. Hachimura doing something Magic Johnson did? That totally tracks.
So far, the Lakers’ top two scorers are Hachimura and LeBron James, both averaging 24.5 points. Any analyst could have seen this coming.
Completely predictable…
…that Xavier Tillman would be the most important Grizzly on the court this series. Memphis has found ways to win without Ja Morant this season so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the 2020 second-round pick was the most impactful player in the Grizzlies’ Game 2 win.
"You couldn't write this."
— NBA (@NBA) April 20, 2023
Xavier Tillman speaks on his NBA journey after dropping a Playoff career-high 22 PTS and 13 REB in the @memgrizz Game 2 win tonight.#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/RRwlZJixvM
Tillman shot 10-for-13 from the field in Game 2 for 22 points and 13 rebounds. He played excellent defense and out-hustled the Lakers’ frontline all night.
Tillman became a prominent name this season after injuries to Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke leveled Memphis’ frontline in the second half of the season. In an NBA landscape shaped by phasing out traditional big men, having one or two fewer bigs would not be a problem. But in a seven-game series against Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers, it’s going to be talked about.
So far, Davis has been ineffective for the Lakers, at least offensively. He’s averaging six blocks but is only shooting 45 percent from the field for 17.5 points. You can blame his lack of aggressiveness all you want but it’s tough to get a shot off against a Memphis defense that seemingly sends every defender they can flying at your shot.
Tillman is one of those defenders. He’s going to continue to be a huge talking point in this series because, as everyone saw coming, AD still has the solution to his onslaught.
For those who aren’t terminally online, the sarcasm in the last few paragraphs may have jumped off over your heads. The thing is, none of the things people predicted have happened in this series. Tied at 1-1, who gets the upper hand in the next couple of games depends entirely on who can make this series as predicted.
