On Tuesday night at Staples Center, Julius Randle recorded a triple-double, as the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 116-102. Randle finished with an impressive stat line: 19 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists.
In the first quarter, the Lakers took an early 8-0 lead, but when the Grizzlies charged back to take an 11-10 advantage, LA looked to be in a dogfight. Leading 22-20 after one quarter, the Grizzlies looked set for a low-scoring contest and anything but what would occur over the next couple of quarters.
In the second quarter, Nick Young and D’Angelo Russell set forth on taking the game over from beyond the three-point arc. Young and Russell each scored 15 points in the first half, as the Lakers’ starting backcourt combined to shoot 10-16 from beyond the arc.
LA led by nine points entering the locker room, as the Lakers’ starters had 48 of the team’s 57 points in the half.
In the third quarter, the Young and Russell hit another couple of three-pointers and the ball continued to move. LA had already tied a season high with 16 long-range makes, and Young and Russell accounted for 12 of those. However, Randle took over the contest with six points, five assists and four rebounds in nine and a half minutes of third quarter play.
Suddenly, a manageable lead turned into a healthy lead that looked like it could carry LA to victory. However, the Grizzlies cut the 17-point deficit to 14 points entering the final 12 minutes.
In the fourth quarter, the Lakers kept the Grizzlies at bay and Randle eventually got the one assist required to complete his third career triple-double. Six different Lakers finished scoring in double figures, and the Lakers finished with 34 assists on 42 made field goals.
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For a night, at least, the Lakers again looked like the team that started the year 10-10 before falling off a cliff. They moved the ball, they played with energy and they beat a team they had no business beating.
Next, the Lakers play in Portland on Thursday.
Notes: With the win, the Lakers moved up to 12-25 on the season. The Grizzlies fell to 22-15. LA made 17
