Aloha,
Well we played one good quarter last night and fortunately it was enough as we squeezed out a win. One of the biggest reasons this game was that close was our 3 point shooting. The Pacers made 10 more 3’s and that was with Buddy pretty much being a non factor.
Everyone would love to land a 3 point shooter in a trade and I would too. But the question is, would we utilize them. LeBron is shooting 31% from 3. Russ is shooting 28% and AD is shooting 26%. They took half of our 3 point shots last night.
A perfect example of our failure to generate 3’s occurred at the end of the first half. Russ was dribbling down for the last shot. Lonnie was wide open behind the arc to his right. Yet Russ took the last shot and missed. After the shot, Lonnie lowered his eyes, smiled to himself and shook his head. A teammate patted him on the back as they walked off.
Lonnie shoots 38% from 3. He got one shot. Thomas shoots well over 40%. He got one look. Troy shoots over 40% from the corner and got one look. PatBev has been shooting well over 40% in the new year. He got two looks.
Our 3 point shots are generated by drive and kicks, to the open man. And it doesn’t matter who that open man is. If this team wants to improve their 3 point shooting they need to run some plays for guys that can make 3 point shots. Trading for a shooter will do little good if the team doesn’t utilize that shooter.
HAMM R TIME!
The Lakers 3-point shooting problems are because they don’t have any long range shooters who have any 3-point gravity, meaning shooters whom defenders are afraid to leave open and thus stick to them like glue during key moments in the game.
Defenders don’t care about guarding players who take 3 or 4 threes per game and make 1 or 2. Those low volume 3-point shooters don’t attract defenders even if they shoot a high percentage. They’re not the guys who can drop 6 or 7 threes.
Even worse, James, Davis, and Westbrook also understand the shooters the Lakers have are not going to light it up like they need, which is why they’re the ones taking the threes. In Russ’ case, I think that is just Russ, who will bend but never break.
Lakers need long range shooters who take 8 or 9 threes and make 3 or 4 per game. Those are the guys who have 3-point gravity, who attract defenders like a magnet who try to stick to them like glue. Buddy Hield, Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent, Jr. Get one of those shooters and it will change everything.
Unless the Lakers change up their offense any shooter that is brought in won’t get more then the 5 that Lonnie got before his injury. 38% on 5 a game is a good result. What we need is players that can hit a 3 AND defend. We are 5th in the league in scoring. IT’s defense that has cost us the most. LeBron looks for the open man period. Start running plays for guys that can hit a 3 and this could change. But that’s not Lebrons history.
I agree with you, Michael.