The Los Angeles Lakers, the team that used to stumble out of the locker room after halftime, are now the absolute *best* squad in the entire league in the third quarter. Seriously. For years, one of the most frustrating things about the LeBron James era was watching them struggle coming out for the second half, always playing catch-up. Not anymore. This season, the script is totally flipped, and they are charting completely new waters.
Halftime Huddles Are Hitting Different
It is a small sample size, sure, but the numbers are wild. These Lakers aren’t just “not bad” in the third quarter, they are flat out dominant. We saw it play out recently in their win against the Blazers. The first half was rough, with seemingly every open shot clanking off the rim. But then, after the break, the Lakers unleashed a huge run in the third period that just took over the game. Coach JJ Redick called it “cleaning things up,” not exactly “adjustments,” and he noted how the guys are doing a great job of responding at halftime. He still wants better defensive execution to start games, but the response after halftime has been nearly every single time this year. What a turnaround!
Sticking to the Plan, Even When Shots Aren’t Falling
That Blazers game was a perfect example of composure. They kept plugging away, even when the shots just weren’t falling in the first half. Eventually, those open looks started to drop, and the tide totally turned. Austin Reaves, always a voice of reason, said they “just stuck to the game plan.” He pointed out that to only be down seven at halftime, considering how many shots they missed, was “kind of impressive, honestly.” When you’re in a tight game against a “really good team,” sometimes you just have to “stay the course.” And, of course, Luka doing what Luka does definitely “willed us to that win.”
It’s not like they are a first-half mess, either. The Lakers actually rank eighth in net rating in the first quarter and sixth in the second quarter. But that third quarter? Their net rating is a staggering 29.7, which is a full 12 points higher than any other team in the league for that period. That’s not just good, that’s historically good through ten games! The fourth quarter is the only frame where they don’t crack the top ten, which could be skewed by some pretty rough late-game sequences they had against the Clippers and Raptors. But that third quarter surge is undeniable. Can they keep it up, or will the rest of the league figure out their halftime magic? We will be watching.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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