Lakers Hope Comeback Win Over Pelicans Gives The Team A Timely Boost

Lakers halfway Jaxson Hayes falls aft Pelicans guardant Zion Williamson commits an violative foul arsenic Lakers defender Austin Reaves watches astatine at Crypto.com Arena connected Tuesday.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

Matching nan physicality of Pelicans forwards Zion Williamson and Saddiq Bey was connected nan apical of nan Lakers’ scouting report. But nan task is easier said than done.

Reaves admitted to being “terrified” of stepping successful beforehand of a driving Williamson to tie a charge. The 6-foot-6, 284-pound Pelicans guardant is conscionable arsenic beingness arsenic he is athletic, creating a fearsome operation for defenders. Healthy for nan first clip successful 2 seasons, Williamson led nan Pelicans pinch 24 points connected 10-for-18 shooting.

“We haven’t seen personification for illustration that successful a agelong time, right?” Smart said. “[With] his ability. But [being] consenting to put your assemblage there, return a charge, return an elbow to nan face, container him out, spell vertical, is decidedly thing that you sewage to beryllium consenting to do, and not everybody’s consenting to do it. And that’s nan quality successful nan game.”

Center Jaxson Hayes was up to nan task. He absorbed a Williamson elbow successful nan 4th fourth and ended up successful nan beforehand statement of nan stands holding his jaw. But nan sound was worthy it for nan violative foul that helped support nan Lakers’ 14-0 tally that quickly erased nan Pelicans’ eight-point lead. The scoring streak started instantly aft Hayes subbed backmost into nan crippled pinch 7:20 remaining aft he scored connected his first possession, cutting to nan handbasket for a dunk disconnected an assistance from Doncic.

Hayes had 8 points, six rebounds and 2 blocks, playing astir 23 minutes disconnected nan chair successful his biggest workload arsenic a substitute since Jan. 20 against Denver. After playing pinch Hayes successful New Orleans during nan center’s first 2 years successful nan league, Redick lauded nan seven-year pro’s improvement. Hayes is sinking touch shots astir nan rim now. He has improved his determination making successful nan pocket. After getting benched for his protect lapses past season, Hayes has impressed coaches pinch his accordant expertise to enactment vertical while protecting nan rim. And he still brings nan aforesaid trademark athleticism that made him nan eighth wide prime successful 2019.

“He consistently injects power into nan group erstwhile he runs nan floor, blocks a shot, aliases he gets those dunks,” Redick said.