Luka scored 38 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists! The Lakers refused to make an 18-point comeback. I completely saw the five stars in this game.

On November 11, the NBA regular season continued, and the Los Angeles Lakers went away to challenge the Charlotte Hornets. The Lakers were in the midst of five consecutive away games. They suffered an upset loss to the remnant Hawks in their first away game. Even Redick, a humble gentleman, couldn't help but laugh at himself: I don't know which team I was coaching in Atlanta that day. Hornets generals Ball and Miller are exempt from the game and are in the midst of a two-game losing streak! In this campaign, Reeves returned. The Lakers' starting five were Luka + Reeves + Ayton + Hachimura + Smart. The Hornets' starting five were Kniper + Bridges + Kalkbrenner + James + Sexton.

When the game came on, the two teams started to compete early. The Lakers scored 36 points in the first quarter but were still 4 points behind the Hornets. In the second quarter, Luka and Reeves stepped forward to take over the game, and the Lakers successfully overtook the score before halftime. After changing sides, the Hornets fell into a scoring drought, but the Lakers became more and more courageous, using a wave of 28-13 offensive to open the score in one fell swoop. In the final decisive battle, the Lakers relaxed a little, and the Hornets gave it a try and once chased the point difference to single digits. At the critical moment, Luka stepped forward to attack and pass to stabilize the situation for the Lakers. In the end, the Lakers defeated the Hornets 121-111.

From being behind in the first quarter to leading by up to 18 points in the third quarter, from being chased by the opponent by 8 points to 11 points to the end, the Lakers did not let the cooked duck fly away in the away game. There were highlights and flaws. On the bright side, the Lakers have two ball-carrying cores, Luka and Reeves, who control the entire court, have a holistic attack, and have superstars to solve problems in times of adversity. At the end of the game, the Lakers had an overall advantage in scoring inside (46-34), scoring on fast breaks (14-9), and scoring on turnovers (31-22). On the bad side, the Lakers' three-point shooting in away games is mediocre, and their defensive rotations give their opponents a lot of three-point opportunities. At the end of the game, the Lakers made 14 of 39 shots from beyond the three-point line, with a shooting percentage of only 35.9%. On the other hand, the Hornets made 17 of 36 shots from beyond the three-point line, with a three-point shooting percentage of 47.2%. The Lakers refused to make an 18-point comeback. This battle allowed me to see the five stars clearly.

The first one is Luka, who is handsome and can fight. Luka played against the Hawks and scored 22 points in the first half, but failed to score a point in the second half. The Lakers lost completely! In this battle, Luca attacked more fiercely, sustainably and efficiently! Luka played 38 minutes, making 14 of 28 shots (5 of 15 three-pointers), 5 of 5 free throws, and a total of 38 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal. The plus-minus on the field was as high as +16. Luka scored 21 points in the first half. This was the fifth time this season that he scored 20+ points in a half, the most in the league. In the second half, Luka shocked everyone with a breakthrough dunk, and the key extended three-pointer was even more heart-wrenching. You have to sigh: Luka who has successfully lost weight is so good, handsome and can play!

The second place is Reeves, who is back from injury and feels good. Reeves missed 3 consecutive games due to a groin injury. In this campaign, Reeves played 29 minutes in his first comeback, making 7 of 17 shots (2 of 10 three-pointers), 8 of 11 free throws, and contributed 24 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals. The field plus-minus value was +18, the highest in the game! Reeves' shooting touch is not at his best, but his big heart and key goals are still trustworthy, especially the buzzer-beating layup before midfield, which is so morale-boosting. Reeves and Luka are also well suited. According to statistics, when Luka and Reeves play at the same time, the Lakers have a record of 5 wins and 1 loss in the new season!

The third place is Smart, who had the strongest game in the Lakers career, both sweet and tough! Smart started the game for 36 minutes, making 4 of 9 shots (3 of 7 three-pointers), 2 of 2 free throws, scoring 13 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 7 steals, with a plus-minus of +15. Smart played the strongest game of his Lakers career, with both assists and steals reaching personal season highs. This was also the first time Smart completed 7+ steals in a single game since 2017. The familiar outside lock is back. So far this season, Smart has completed 21 steals, fourth most in the league, second only to Wallace (25), Daniels (23) and White (22). Obviously, Smart's experience and defense are the elements the Lakers need most.

The fourth place is Rui Hachimura, a killer jumper, trustworthy! Hachimura played 35 minutes, making 9 of 12 shots (3 of 3 three-pointers), scoring 21 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal, with a plus-minus of +13. Especially in the third quarter, Hachimura scored 13 points and was one of the key figures in the Lakers' turnaround! More importantly, Hachimura is a master of jump shots. He made perfect mid-range shots and three-pointers in this game. So far this season, Hachimura has averaged 16.3 points per game, shooting 58.6% from the field, and 52.4% from three-point range. All three statistics are career highs, and his mid-range shooting percentage is as high as 63%.

The fifth place is Ayton, not hard enough! Ayton played 32 minutes, made 7 of 10 shots, scored 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 turnovers, with a plus-minus of +2. Ayton is a pie-eating center, and his finishing efficiency is also good, but Ayton is not strong enough. Those who can make mid-range shots will never attack the basket, and those who can make layups will never dunk. Occasionally, his buttery hands can startle a group of gulls and herons. With two masters of organization in Luka and Reeves, Ayton can eat his cake and eat it until he vomits. If Ayton can be more dedicated to rebounding and attacking the basket, then he will make the Lakers' offensive system richer! Fans and friends, what do you think of this? Come and leave me a comment to discuss.