Jake LaRavia could help LA Lakers down former Memphis Grizzlies teammates again in NBA
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Los Angeles Lakers forward Jake Laravia blocks a shot by Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant in the first half at Crypto.com Arena.
PHOTO: IMAGN IMAGES
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LOS ANGELES – Two nights after the Lakers used a late surge to get past the visiting Memphis Grizzlies, the teams will run it back again on Jan 4 (Jan 5, Singapore time) in Los Angeles.
The Lakers were led by their stars, with Luka Doncic scoring 34 points and LeBron James adding 31 in the 128-121 National Basketball Association victory.
They also received a key contribution from Jake LaRavia, who turned a chance to start into a 21-point, nine-rebound performance against his former team.
LaRavia’s fifth game played with at least 37 minutes this season came as he started – with both Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves out with calf injuries.
The 24-year-old forward began his career with the Grizzlies in 2022-23 and made just six starts in 117 games over parts of three seasons. Comparatively, he has started 11 of 32 games in his first season with the Lakers.
Looking ahead to the next game, he knows that he has to continue being consistent.
“I got going pretty early and the ball was finding me... I was able to get going and stay aggressive and I finally knocked down some shots, so that felt good. I have to continue to trust my shot,” he said.
The Lakers are working to recover from their toughest stretch of the season, with four losses in five games to finish 2025.
The Grizzlies are currently in a slump with a three-game losing streak, their longest since a five-game skid in November.
Star man Ja Morant has dealt with multiple injuries that forced him to miss game time. Against the Lakers, he scored 16 points with 11 assists while starting in his fourth consecutive game. It is his longest stretch of games since five straight from Nov 3 to 11.
The Grizzlies forced 20 Lakers turnovers that they turned into 27 points. It was the second consecutive game Los Angeles had at least 20 turnovers, so that could be a key factor in their next clash.
Pressure, however, could be their weak point.
“They made a couple of shots. There was a huge (three-pointer) from LaRavia at the end of the shot clock, for example,” said Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo.
“I thought we got some good looks but couldn’t convert in that situation and that, a lot of times, is the difference.” REUTERS
