The highly-anticipated Western Conference semifinals showdown between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors tips off tonight at the Chase Center. Between LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, etc. the championship pedigree, Q-rating, and star power is unprecedented for a second-round series.
The stars will largely determine who ultimately advances. But there exist numerous potential x-factors on both sides, not to mention factors like rest, coaching, and Draymond Antics.
The depth the Lakers accrued at the trade deadline has proven to be a godsend. They've been arguably the best team basketball since Feb. 11 after swapping out ill-fitting pieces for improved versatility, shooting, and defensive options to go along with the in-season development of Austin Reaves and Dennis Schroder's consistency.
Dispatching the Memphis Grizzlies in six games was impressive, but the Playoff Warriors are a gnarlier bear. While Memphis' offense was predicated on brute force, inside-out play, and fast-breaking, the Dubs' offensive movement, fluidity, and perimeter attack are unmatched and exhausting to handle.
A handful of dudes could be X-factors for the Lakers. Reaves will be tasked with chasing Splash Bros (incl. Joran Poole) around screens yet needs enough juice left for play-making. Jarred Vanderbilt may be the top option on Steph (though the Lakers will throw multiple bodies at him). It would really help if Malik Beasley or Troy Brown Jr. can make shots. Schroder will get opportunities to pick up Steph 94 feet. Rui Hachimura moved the needle against Memphis.
You probably noticed one name not mentioned there, whom I believe is the most important player for the Lakers in this series not named LeBron or AD: D'Angelo Russell is the Lakers' X-factor vs. the Warriors.
Why D'Angelo Russell is the Lakers' X-factor vs. the Golden State Warriors
Russell is the one Lakers starter without an obvious person to check. He's too slow for Steph and maybe Klay, and too small for Andrew Wiggins and maybe Klay. They can throw him on Draymond or Kevon Looney and have him sag off, but that could hurt Los Angeles on the glass and would probably require LeBron to expend extra energy on Wiggins.
Most likely, DLo will start on Wiggins, which should have the Warriors' licking their chops. (Remember: the Warriors know Russell's strengths and weaknesses firsthand from his tenure in Golden State.)
On the other end, the Lakers need more of the Russell from Game 6 of the first round, in which he came out hot and dropped 31 points within the flow of the offense (while fellow impending free agent guard Kyrie Irving sat courtside). Prior to that, Russell had been up-and-down since his brutal play-in game, outside of a solid Game 1 and a couple of scoring spurts.
LeBron and AD will have to muster the stamina to shine on both ends. If Reaves — the Lakers' third-best scorer since the All-Star break — is tuckered out from navigating the Warriors' offense, the Lakers will need Russell to fill that role. They need him to reliably space the floor, probably average 18-20 points per game, and avoid being exploited by constant mismatches.
If Russell plays like a star, the Lakers will be in the conference finals, and they'll thank Russell with a hefty bag in free agency.
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