Los Angeles Lakers: Top 10 moments from 2017-18 NBA season

The Los Angeles Lakers are turning things around after years of turmoil. Here are the top 10 moments from a fun 2017-18 NBA season.

The Los Angeles Lakers broke through this season, leaving behind the stench of the past few seasons and showing the new regime has this team back on track. The entire 2017-18 campaign was filled with surprising victories, talented young players and feel-good stories.

This season, buoyed more by positivity than pessimism, was not a sure thing even one year ago. The malaise of the previous regime and its frequent mistakes were only a few months removed, and the new team of Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka had yet to do more than trade Lou Williams for a middling return.

The uncertainty continued into the offseason, when the shocking celebrity of LaVar Ball threatened to overshadow the season. But slowly the Lakers chipped away at the expectations of failure. A summer trade with Brooklyn moved the contract of Timofey Mozgov, bringing back Brook Lopez and clearing a place for Lonzo Ball to run the offense.

They nailed the draft, and Kyle Kuzma began draining buckets at NBA Summer League — a Summer League the Lakers won in dominating fashion. Then in free agency, the Lakers played things intelligently, saving cap space for the future.

That set up a season where hope was beginning to bloom — not the false hope of fans not willing to grapple with reality, but the true hope of a smart organization rounding the bases of a rebuild.

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That was the foundation of an exciting season for the Los Angeles Lakers, one where they finished just one spot back in the standings from their crosstown rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers. While the end result wasn’t a postseason berth — sorry LaVar — it was a 35-game win total that far surpassed the 23-win average the Lakers had displayed the past four seasons. Nine teams finished with worse records than the Lakers, compared to an average of just 2.7 the prior four years.

In a season packed with exciting moments, the line has to be drawn somewhere. Here are the top 10 Moments from the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2017-18 NBA Season. All apologies to our honorable mentions: Lonzo Ball getting into a battle with Nas, the Kyle Kuzma-Lonzo Ball roast-off, Magic Johnson getting another tampering fine, a number of big wins, and of course everything LaVar Ball said ever.

We begin back in November when the champions came to town, where the Los Angeles Lakers announced to the league that they were on the rise once more.

10. Lakers get statement win over Golden State Warriors

Young teams destined for the bottom of the standings can often start hot, or show flashes that will otherwise fade as the season goes on. The Orlando Magic, for example, began the season 8-4 before dropping to 8-13 and ultimately finishing 25-57 in the heart of the NBA tankathon.

Similarly, the Los Angeles Lakers began the season showing flashes, from Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma generating excitement to Brook Lopez destroying his former team (more on all of that later). On Nov. 29, the Lakers made a true statement that at their best, they can hang with anyone.

The defending champion Golden State Warriors came to town with everyone healthy, a rare circumstance for this year’s team. For 48 minutes, the Lakers gave the Warriors everything they could handle, with Brandon Ingram going one-on-one with Kevin Durant for much of the second half. When the dust settled the game was going to overtime.

In the extra session, Stephen Curry seemed to put the lid on the Lakers with quick 3-pointers, but it wasn’t over yet. Los Angeles battled back to within one point in the closing seconds before the Warriors put things away. Ball came away with a double-double and three other Lakers scored over 20 (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson).

The Lakers were not suddenly en route to the postseason; that was never what this season was about. It was an announcement that this team was no longer starved of top-end talent, and that the combination of internal growth and coaching had this roster trending in the right direction. For the first time in years, the Lakers truly made it clear they are coming.

9. Josh Hart drops 30 in season finale

The Los Angeles Lakers absolutely nailed the draft. Lonzo Ball was solid as the starting point guard, improving his defensive intensity and spreading the ball. Kyle Kuzma scored better than anyone would have thought in averaging 16.1 points per game. Josh Hart, the final pick of the first round, was a solid two-way contributor for the Lakers all year.

That vanilla description — “solid two-way contributor” — exploded into exciting upside on the final night of the season. Hart, perhaps emboldened by Villanova’s victory in the national title game, dropped at least 20 points in each of the final four games to the season.

In the season finale against the crosstown Los Angeles Clippers, Hart capped off his season with 30 points, including 7-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc. Feeling himself, he submitted one of the celebrations of the year, an homage to Fortnite after drilling a 3-pointer.

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/984286568843173888

To continue spinning out the accomplishment, Hart’s 30-point night made him the seventh Laker to score 30 this season: Hart, Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, Brook Lopez and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope all hit the 30-mark this year. Lower the bar to 29, and both Ball and Isaiah Thomas are added to the list.

Only five players hit that mark last season, and three of those players were not on the team this year (Nick Young, Lou Williams, D’Angelo Russell). Hart was one of six players to hit the mark this year that were not on the team a year ago. This highlights that the Lakers have a high offensive ceiling moving forward, and this season was just the start.

8. Brook Lopez revenge game

Brook Lopez is one of the league’s most forgotten players. Ask an NBA fan — casual or devoted — to list the best centers of the past 10 years, and they may list 25 before listing Brook Lopez. Even so, only two centers have scored more than Lopez over the past decade — Dwight Howard and DeMarcus Cousins, both perennial All-Stars.

Lopez has averaged more than 20 points per game four different times, and yet has appeared in just one All-Star Game: 2013, as an injury replacement to Rajon Rondo. Lopez is not even the most popular player from his own family, as his twin-brother Robin has become a fan favorite for his mascot-hating antics.

Yet for all of the disrespect, Lopez has continued to improve his game, adding a 3-point shot to keep himself relevant. That was on display for the Lakers this season, his first year away from Brooklyn, as he has averaged 13 points and 1.5 3-pointers per game.

Lopez turned on the jets in his first game against his former team, making the cliche “revenge game” a reality. Lopez poured in 34 points on 13-of-23 shooting from the field and 6-of-9 from deep. He also added 10 rebounds, two assists and three steals in less than 31 minutes. The Lakers came away with the 124-112 victory.

This was a gap year for Lopez, where he bided his time on a team that didn’t need him, but also respected his presence. This summer Lopez will hit unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career, and hopes to prove that centers can be relevant — even those that have been overlooked their entire career. As exhibit A, he will show them game tape of his decimation of the Nets.

7. Lonzo Ball becomes youngest player in NBA history to record triple-double

Lonzo Ball entered the league with an incredible amount of fanfare, riding the wave of a successful season at UCLA and the most outspoken father in sports. He didn’t disappoint either, dropping 29 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in a win over the Phoenix Suns in the second game of the season.

The moment where Ball truly began to move from impressive to unique was a couple of weeks later against the Milwaukee Bucks. At 20 years, 15 days old he became the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double, beating LeBron James by four days.

In total Ball put together a robust stat line across the board, finishing with 19 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds for the triple double. He also pitched in three steals and three blocks for good measure. They weren’t empty calories either, as he was a team-leading +10 on a night the Lakers lost by eight.

In total, Lonzo Ball would drop just one other triple-double in his rookie season, although he frequently came close. Markelle Fultz (19 years, 317 days) would also break his record as the youngest NBA player with a triple-double in April.

For the season, Balls averaged 10.2 points, 7.2 assists and 6.9 rebounds per game. In NBA history, the only rookies to hit those marks are Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson and Ben Simmons. While Ball struggled through a season at times marred by injury, he was a valuable and exciting piece for the Lakers.

6. Kyle Kuzma leads Lakers to upset of Rockets

Selected late in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft, Kyle Kuzma was a relative unknown in NBA circles. The forward out of Utah was a consensus second-rounder, and when the Los Angeles Lakers picked him at the end of the first, it was a puzzling reach.

Then came Las Vegas Summer League, and Kuzma spat fire to lead the Lakers to the title. He continued firing away in preseason, and through the first two weeks of the season. Then he had a coming out party.

Kuzma broke out to the tune of 38 points, seven rebounds and four assists. He lit bomb after bomb and chucked it into the basket, dropping in seven 3-pointers on 10 attempts. Houston tried initially to defend him with Ryan Anderson, and the rookie stole Anderson’s lunch money. Anderson finished a game-low -22 in his 25 minutes.

If the overtime loss to the Warriors announced that the Lakers were on the rise, beating the Rockets by six in Houston cemented it. James Harden dropped 51 points and it wasn’t enough as Kuzma led the Lakers to victory.

5. Larry Nance Jr. puts Kevin Durant on a poster

If the NBA is the most exciting sport in the world (my apologies to curling), then the dunk is the most exciting play in the world. The sheer combination of athleticism, power and pure disrespect causes an involuntary reaction among those watching, driving us from our seats in joy and awe.

Larry Nance Jr. is a purveyor of such excitement, unleashing hammers on defenders who should simply know better than to put up a fight. Against the Golden State Warriors, Kevin Durant made such a feeble attempt, and was rightfully put on a poster for his troubles.

Nance not only started the possession with a steal, he ended it with a slam. This throw-down over one of the league’s best is an easy candidate for Dunk of the Year. Although the NBA has not yet revealed its finalists, most likely Nance will be competing with the Greek Freak and the King.

To circle back to the Lakers, the greatest loss this season was not one of the 47 this team racked up, it was the loss of Larry Nance Jr. and his highlight reels. Let’s pour one out for Nance as he strives for boring, mundane playoff success out in Cleveland.

Thankfully for Lakers nation, their current roster is not without hope for throw-down highlights. While he does not boast the sheer athleticism of Nance, Lonzo Ball connects precision timing with enough hops to get the job done.

Honest question: If Larry Nance wins Dunk of the Year, does he accept his trophy wearing a purple tie, or a wine-colored one?

4. Trade deadline deal with Cavaliers

The Los Angeles Lakers entered the season with a long-term vision in mind: correct the culture, develop young talent, clear the books and add draft assets. From the draft to free agency to in-season rotations, the team accomplished just that.

At no point was this more obvious than at the trade deadline, when the Lakers were part of a tumultuous deadline day and executed a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In one transaction, the team moved the contract of Jordan Clarkson, added a first round pick, and even added a star-level upside player in Isaiah Thomas.

The Lakers and Cavaliers dominated the NBA narrative for much of the day as analysts and fans tried to sort out who “won” the trade. Los Angeles gave up Larry Nance Jr. in the deal, a talented fan favorite and perennial threat to create a highlight play (see previous slide for evidence). They also sent Jordan Clarkson, a neutral asset at best with a contract extending past this season.

In return they got a first round pick, the true jewel of the deal. They added two expiring contracts in Channing Frye — an excellent locker room presence — and Isaiah Thomas. They also cleaned out their cap commitments for this summer, opening up enough space to get within striking distance of two max slots.

While Thomas did not recapture the fire of his time in Boston, he played much better in Los Angeles than he did in Cleveland and could stick around the team for another season. With their first round pick owed to Philadelphia, the addition of an extra pick helps to soothe the sting. It was a smart move for an inexperienced management team that has proven itself to be fully competent and in control of a defined vision.

3. LaVar Ball attacks Luke Walton and team responds with winning streak

A bubbling side-plot for this entire season has been the outspoken LaVar Ball, father to Lonzo and inspiration for one of the best SNL personas of the past decade. Without getting into Ball himself — yes, he should be commended for looking out for his kids, especially when so many NBA players did not have a dad looking out for them; and yes, his antics are ridiculous and his business dealings potentially illegal — one particular event bears mention.

After the team’s big win in Houston over the Rockets, the Lakers entered a slide. Facing a stretch where seven of nine opponents were heading for an above-.500 finish, the Lakers lost all nine. LaVar Ball decided to use that time to make his opinion known, telling ESPN‘s Jeff Goodman that head coach Luke Walton had lost the locker room, and that the players “didn’t want to play for him” anymore.

The Lakers did not respond in kind, but rather chose not to address Ball directly. Instead the team quietly made it known that their commitment to Walton was secure. The players responded in their own way, immediately winning their next game and eight of their next 10.

Walton’s response was the best, perfectly in line with his laid-back persona and dry sense of humor. When asked about subbing out Lonzo Ball the night of the comments, Walton responded that the point guard’s father was to blame.

What looked like a potential problem before the season increasingly became a non-issue. That isn’t to say LaVar Ball won’t make his opinions known moving forward, but as the season progressed, his voice was increasingly minimized. The Lakers have a strong group leading them forward, and no one’s father has the power to shake that.

2. Kobe Bryant has two jerseys retired

Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest players to ever don a Lakers jersey, an impressive statement given the team’s history. Of those Hall of Fame icons to lead the Lakers to glory — from Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Shaquille O’Neal — only Kobe had the honor of two separate jerseys being lifted to the rafters.

A touching ceremony began outside Stapes Center with “Kobeland” and moved inside for the main event. The ceremony itself began with an animated movie to introduce Kobe.

Magic Johnson and Jeannie Buss, among others, spoke in honor of Kobe. Then the jerseys were raised together, much to The Mamba’s delight.

Kobe himself then took the stage to thank those who came before and paved the way for him to accomplish all that he did.

Perhaps the best thing to come of the ceremony was a new addition to the series of NBA puppet commercials from a decade ago. Hello puppet-Kobe and puppet-LeBron!

Whether you’re a diehard Lakers fan who thinks Kobe is one of the top-three players in NBA history, or a Celtics devotee who talks him out of the top-15, there is no doubting that Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest to play the game and inspired a whole new generation of kids to love basketball. For that alone, his legacy deserves the respect that he has earned.

1. Andre Ingram make his NBA debut

As the season wound down, the drama in the NBA was not centered in Los Angeles. With the Clippers eliminated from the postseason and the Lakers without their first round pick, the final two nights of the season were supposed to be focused on playoff teams and the tanks jockeying for position.

Instead, the Lakers wrenched the NBA spotlight back to themselves with one of the best stories of the year. It began April 9, when the Lakers signed Andre Ingram to a rest-of-year contract. Ingram was the G League’s career leader in 3-pointers made, primarily because at 32 years old, he had yet to play in an NBA game.

Playing the first NBA minutes of his career, Ingram came out firing. He dropped a quick eight points on 2-of-2 shooting, and from there racked up 19 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including 4-of-5 from long range.

The NBA world went nuts, eager to find the best statistic to frame a historic and feel-good night. His debut was compared to a myriad of other star players, and he rightfully received praise for his commitment to his career and his family over the past decade. Even Lakers legend Kobe Bryant spoke up.

Seriously, this top 10 list should have just been videos of Andre Ingram’s life and his realization of his NBA dream. Ingram’s G League salary was around the poverty line, which meant he needed to work as a math tutor on the side to supplement his income. At one point he took a year off to take care of his kids. Luke Walton handed him the game ball for his performance:

Later that night the crew of TNT’s “Inside the NBA” spent an extended period of time interviewing him live, for the moment setting aside big wins by the Wizards and Jazz. Their questions and support were touching, and were part of the emotional wave Ingram rode all night.

Hopefully for Ingram and his NBA dream, the coverage and exposure won’t die down. The Lakers honored him by giving him a chance. The Dodgers did as well, as he threw out the first pitch for a game a few days after the season. Now a team — the Lakers or otherwise — should give him a chance in training camp next fall.

Next: Full two-round 2018 NBA Mock Draft

Whatever happens with the remainder of his career, Andre Ingram — his character, his story, and his NBA debut — are the best moment from a Lakers season full of great ones. Now comes a busy summer before next year and all of the hope and highlights it promises to offer.