Getty Lakers Kyle Kuzma and LeBron James.
The Nets suffered their worst loss of the season when they took on the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night.
The defending NBA champions pulverized the Nets 126-101 at Barclays Center without LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and a host of other players on the Lakers roster.
It is only the second time this season that the Nets have lost by 20 points or more. The other loss came to the Utah Jazz and Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and James Harden did not even play.
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Kyle Kuzma Trolls Nets
The Lakers and Nets are expected to meet in this summer’s NBA Finals so naturally, bragging rights were on the line between the two heavyweights.
After the game, Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma took to his Twitter account to let the Nets know that despite the wealth of talent that they have, the Lakers are still the team to beat with this iconic “Cigarette LeBron James” meme.
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Nets & Lakers Turning Into a Rivalry?
The Nets and Lakers are turning into the NBA’s newest rivalry. Both teams have a collection of superstar talent and are touted as the best that their respective conferences have to offer. Earlier this season Lakers Owner Jeanie Buss entered the beef during an appearance on Stephen A’s World with Stephen A. Smith.
Buss recognizes the amazing product that is being built over in Brooklyn but says that it is just more motivation for the Lakers to defend their championship crown.
“It brings out the best in us,” Buss said of the Nets’ roster moves on Stephen A’s World via ESPN.
“When teams identify us as the team to beat and they gear up to go at us head-to-head, that makes us work harder. So, bring it on.”
In the midst of the Nets roster moves Buss and her front office were making moves of their own. The Lakers signed two-time All-Star Andre Drummond after LeBron and Anthony Davis sustained long-term injuries.
“The addition of Andre Drummond, who we picked up in the buyout market, will certainly fortify a season where we’ve had to deal with injuries and COVID,” Buss said to Stephen A.
Drummond Had Aldridge’s Number
After Drummond sustained a toe injury in his first game with the Lakers it looked like the signing of the two-time All-Star was not going to pan out for the defending champs. However, against the Nets, Drummond may have had his best game as a Laker with 20 points and 11 rebounds in the win.
Drummond also made Nets All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge look like a baby all game long. Aldridge acknowledged that it is on him to better than he was on Saturday.
“I have to watch film. I can’t get past how bad I was defensively,” Aldridge said via Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News.
“I have to watch film. I can’t get past how bad I was defensively.”
– LaMarcus Aldridge
(via @Krisplashed)
The Nets will have an opportunity to redeem themselves when they face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.
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