The Los Angeles Lakers (without LeBron James) pulled out a much-needed 109-103 win over the Golden State Warriors (without Steph Curry) on Saturday. The new-look Lakers (26-31) snapped a three-game losing skid and moved within two games of the final play-in spot.

D'Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Malik Beasley suited up for the purple-and-gold. January's trade addition, Rui Hachimura, plus Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroder, powered the Lakers to a refreshing and scrappy performance.

Beyond the general hunger for a palate-cleansing victory after a roller-coaster week, there were a few specific reasons for the Lakers to leave San Francisco feeling heartened about the days ahead.

3. Vando

Jeff Van Gundy joked on the telecast that Vanderbilt may have had the “greatest first four minutes” as a Laker ever. He might be right.

Vanderbilt was arguably the team's most exciting deadline pickup on account of his unceasing motor, defensive versatility, and high-IQ decision-making. That was on full display from the moment he stepped on the Chase Center floor. Vando had four points, three rebounds, two assists, and a steal in those four minutes. He finished with 12 points and eight rebounds in 17 minutes (I assume he'll get more burn going forward).

The Lakers' second unit buoyed by Vanderbilt and fellow Energizer Bunny big Wenyen Gabriel sparked a key third-quarter run that put Los Angeles up six entering the final frame.

“I’m so thankful that we got him, man,” Darvin Ham said postgame. “You saw his energy.”

Los Angeles held Golden State to 41.7% shooting, won the rebounding battle by nine, and forced 10 first-half turnovers.

“Energy. Effort. Urgency,” Ham said about his message to the team.

Unlike last season, these Lakers typically play hard. Their deadline moves should spike their juice even more.  The roster is full of under-26 dudes surrounding LeBron and AD who scrap, claw, and hustle on every possession. That could go a long way amid a tight Western Conference.

2. Dennis, DLo, and Rui, smoothly operating

Dennis Schroder has been ballin' out. All season, he has brought 24/7 feistiness on D while balancing secure orchestration and scoring within the flow of the game. He repeatedly picks up the slack when the Lakers are shorthanded.

In SF, his bucket attacks early in the third quarter helped the Lakers regain the lead. He finished with 26 points on 7-of-12 shooting, following up a 25-point, 12-dime showing vs. the Milwaukee Bucks.

“He's fearless,” said Ham about the diminutive guard. “He's not afraid to go make a play. He's not afraid to take a shot. He's not afraid to go attack the rim even though he may get knocked down. Or take the toughest matchup defensively…Those types of guys, you can't have enough of. It's the reason I love him.”

Rui Hachimura quietly hustled around the glass and sought mid-to-long 2s (his game). He finished with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting and seven rebounds. Hachimura and Russell led the Lakers at +12 in the box score.

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As for DLo, he looked comfortable in his return to the LakeShow. His cerebral shot creation and playmaking were evident. He hit a huge 3-pointer and midrange J to bring a halt to the fourth-quarter Poole Party. He finished with 15 points, five rebounds, and six assists.

The potential pick-and-roll chemistry between Russell and Davis is evident. DLo, AD, and LeBron discussed X's and O's throughout the game.

“We’re gonna be really good,” Davis said to LeBron on the bench at one point.

Beasley (0-of-6 from 3) was ice-cold, but that won't usually be the case.

1. AD refocused

Nobody has had a stranger week than Anthony Davis. He was a mysterious no-show on a star-studded night at Crypto.com Arena as LeBron broke the scoring record. He shot 9-of-22 on Thursday against Milwaukee and failed to record a block or steal, though he committed five turnovers and five fouls. He has to be an elite two-way force if the Lakers are going to win ballgames without LeBron.

AD concerningly sleepwalked through most of the Warriors game, posting a passive, inefficient seven points through three quarters. Finally, he upped his activity level down the stretch. He still struggled to finish around the rim (the refs didn't help), but he came alive on defense. Davis shot 5-of-19 but worked his way to 16 rebounds and recorded two gigantic blocks in the final minutes.

“Just shifted my mindset to the defensive end,” reflected AD. “I just wanted to go down and get every rebound and block every shot.”

The Lakers ended the game on a 16-7 run. Their late-game execution — a season-long weakness — was impressive considering the revamped squad.

“We didn't even have a practice or anything,” said Rui. “We were just out there hooping.”

The Lakers will visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday and then host the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday before enjoying an eight-day All-Star break. The question is: Will LeBron — officially listed as day-to-day — play in either of those contests and/or in Salt Lake City, or will he rest until the Feb. 23 rematch with the Warriors?

Earlier on Saturday, Rob Pelinka said LeBron had imaging done on his lingering sore left foot, which came back “clean.”

“No, I don’t think he’d allow us to do that,” said Ham, about whether LeBron will sit out until the break.

Perhaps another reason for the Lakers to feel optimistic. We'll see.