1. Some fans were worried when the Lakers lost Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee during the off-season.
Fewer blocked shots. Less rebounding. More penetration in the lane. You get the picture.
Then came Christmas Day. The Lakers had 35 second-chance points and the Dallas Mavericks had none.
Friday's game resulted in the most second-chance points for the Lakers since a 1996 game against Houston. It was total dominance, out of nowhere, and should ease Laker fans' fears when it comes to losing two important big men from last season.
A big part of the scouting report before this game was when coach Frank Vogel reminded players how many offensive rebounds Dallas recorded against them last season.
Dallas had only three offensive rebounds Friday. The Lakers had 17.
2. Kyle Kuzma has had a quietly strong start to the season.
He continues to show confidence behind the arc, having made three of four against Dallas. It's good to see him contributing in other ways: six rebounds in 22 minutes.
He looks like a guy who is settled and accepts his role coming off the bench. Some of that surely has to do with his new contract: three years and $40 million kicking in after this season.
The other part is likely maturity. He definitely had a reduced role last season after Anthony Davis was acquired, with his frustration showing at times — whether it was body language or a drop in on-court play. That’s not the case this season.
3. Marc Gasol hasn’t had the fastest start with the Lakers, scoring two points in two games. Montrezl Harrell, on the other hand, has been his usual dominant self.
Both centers get a solid early-season test with the upcoming back-to-back against Minnesota and Portland, teams with legitimate big men.
The Timberwolves have rising star Karl-Anthony Towns, while the Trail Blazers will come with Jusuf Nurkic. The Lakers’ first two opponents — the Clippers and Mavericks — didn’t offer much at the center position.
Maybe Gasol will get back on track over the next two games. Maybe Harrell continues to show why the Lakers scooped him up in free agency. Either way, it’s a good early-season string of games to test the Lakers’ big men.
Mike Bresnahan is the Lakers analyst for Spectrum SportsNet.