This team isn’t going to make it easy, it would seem. Even when we get a big lead against a team we should manhandle we seem determined to let them back into the game. Whether it be sloppy execution, poor D, or a lackadaisical attitude in general this incarnation of Laker basketball lacks a killer instinct. It may come back to bite them but there’s fading hope it will change. After all, you are what you is.
- Lotta donuts. Avery Bradley and Melo both put up scoring zeroes. Both added something to the box score but starters need to bring more and Melo is our best scorer off the bench. Against the woebegone Pistons who struggle nightly to score 100 points it ended up not resulting in a loss, however for a team that could use an easy win or three it only added to the rep of a team with banner aspirations playing down to inferior opponents. It wouldn’t hurt for us to be able to rest our star players in the 4th, either, as LeBron’s re-aggravated abdominal strain shows. It’d be nice to beat up on teams we should beat up on.
- Lakers three point shooting remains an issue. The guy taking the most is the guy we want attacking the basket (LeBron) and the guys we brought in are either getting a low amount of shots and/or missing them in bunches. Last night saw the following players go 0-fer from three: Bradley, Melo, and Monk. Key reserves Ellington (1-3) and THT (1-4) made one but this isn’t a recipe for continued success against most teams in the NBA. AD has been so bad (20.5% for the season after last night, around 16% prior to) he’s taking more shots in the paint than ever. Again, no easy answer presents itself as the issue seems to be that LeBron would rather take threes than create them for guys like Ellington, Monk and so on. In some ways that makes sense since LeBron is one of three guys whom most of our cap is dedicated to. In reality I think the team would function better if all the tools were used to the best of their capabilities. Hopefully this works itself out over the course of the season but, so far, there isn’t a lot of evidence to support that notion.
- Credit that Detroit Piston free throw defense. I kid, but LeBron and Russ need to be better. LeBron and Russ missed key free throws in the triple overtime loss to the Kings, and again missed key free throws down the stretch that could have helped us pull away earlier. We breathe life into teams in so many ways we have to look to cut down in some area or another and free throws seem the likeliest place to start. It’s nice we’re getting to the line more, but we need to make them for it to matter.
- Small line ups score a little better, get killed on the boards. As Frank continues what one now has to assume will be a mostly season-long experiment we saw what was the only DeAndre Jordan at center line up. other than DAJ it was AD and LeBron manning the center position. In his 21 minutes Jordan managed only 6 rebounds and as a team we got killed on the boards 53-42 with the Pistons grabbing 12 offensive rebounds. This is unsustainable, especially against teams with true centers and a crash the glass mentality. We don’t box out, we don’t jump for rebounds, we simply stand there and hope. My biggest issue with LeBron at center with a bunch of guards isn’t the defense it’s the rebounding. Russ can’t do it all, somebody has to figure out what the phrase “put a body on him” means and box the hell out. Getting killed on the glass has become yet another constant issue in just about every game we play. More oxygen for inferior teams.
- The ball was moving though! One super positive in my opinion was the 32 assists and the fact that all three superstars had solid and efficient games. This wasn’t a win to celebrate by any means, we should have beaten Detroit even more than we did. But when something goes right it starts to feel like you have to mention it since so little has thus far. So, in the spirit of that, the ball movement was exceptional last night. Also, Russ, LeBron and AD all had solid games without getting in one another’s way. So, if this si something sustainable and can be built upon I’ll take it.
The good thing is that rest of the west is kind of a mess, too. We’re lucky that Denver is this season’s walking wounded team, that Portland didn’t find new fire under Chauncy Billups and that teams slated to be rebuilding teams have, for the most part, played like that. We’re 6th in the west and we need to solidify that spot and look to push our way past the Clippers in the coming games. If we can fight our way into a top 4 seed by the All Star break and stabilize the ship I feel like we’ll be alright. If we keep up with this up and down play, stay around .500 we’re just as likely to have to go the play-in route, again. Nobody wants that.
DJ2KB24 says
Once again we got no 3 shooters. Melo sometimes. Take out AD and LBJ and Westy our great 3 shooters 2-18. Had and have no faith in the retreads. The pitiful, part is they be open! Need a little help!
Michael H says
Nice write up Jamie, I think you pretty much nailed it. Rebounds have been a season long issue. The Pistons PG and SF had 11 boards each. LeBron had 6. Even AD’s 10 wasn’t all that impressive when you consider the Pistons are t a big team.
As far as 3 point shooting goes it’s not just not getting a lot of shots, it’s being involved in the offense. Touching the ball, moving without the ball, just being in the flow of the game. Then you have a rhythm. It’s no accident that all these guys we bring in as shooters fail. It’s the offensive system itself that is partly responsible. If we are going to have success shooting the 3 these shooters have to be involved in the offense.
LakerTom says
Good fiver, Jamie. Still in the middle of the muddle this season has become and appears to want to remain for some time.
1) Lotta donuts. The positive is the three superstars did exactly what the Lakers wanted when they traded for Russ: not to have to rely on a bunch of role players who usually don’t step up. We won. Formula worked.
2) 3-point shooting. I think I agree with Michael that we need to run some plays to get these guys shots. Shooters need to get up shots. They can’t just suddenly get into a rhythm. That’s on Russ and LeBron.
3) Free throws. I’ve been pleased with LeBron and Russ from the line. LeBron’s shooting 75.5% on 4.8 ftpg (69.8% on 5.7 ftpg lyr) and Russ is shooting 69.0% on 5.7 ftpg (65.6% on 6.4 ftpg lyr).
4) Small ball lineups. We solved the points in the paint issue, winning that by 18 points, but lost the rebound battle by around 10 boards. I blame that on poor rebounding by Jordan and other players. Not small ball lineup.
5) Ball moving. Team made the next pass almost every time. Superstars did their job. Others need to step up. At least two or three. Not none. Let’s hope this is a first step in what will be a transformative winning streak.