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Lakers’ Five-Game Win Streak Is Blueprint To Win Championship

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Despite cancelling the Mark Williams trade, the top-5 offense and defense Redick has the Lakers playing without AD during this 5-game win streak is a blueprint not only to survive but to thrive and still win a championship.

While the everybody online was worrying whether Luka would fit with LeBron and what L.A. would do now that Mark Williams failed his physical, JJ Redick suddenly has the Lakers playing championship level basketball. Right now, the Lakers have won 5 in a row and are playing their best basketball of the season, displaying legitimate top-5 NBA offense and defense, without AD and just Jaxson Hayes and a duo of two-way centers.

Frankly, the Lakers have played so well at both ends during this 5-game stretch that not having to integrate a new center in Williams at the same time as a new superstar in Doncic could be end up being a positive move.
One of the strengths of the current roster and reasons why the Lakers are playing so well right now is their roster continuity. Trading Knecht for Williams was a trade specifically designed to retain the current rotation.

What’s clear from the way the Lakers are playing right now is JJ Redick is coming into his own as an elite head coach. To a man, this team has bought into how JJ wants them to play and the results have been sensational.
After the loss to the Nets where AD was injured, the Lakers suddenly like an entirely different team. They’re sharing the ball and raining threes on offense and doubling, challenging, and rotating on a string on defense.

What’s behind the Lakers’ sudden elite performance over the last 5 games? Offensively, they’ve suddenly starting to share the ball like JJ wants and were #1 in field goal percentage and 3-point percentage the last 5 games.
Defensively, the Lakers without AD are playing like a legitimate top-5 team. They’re doubling and trapping pick-and-rolls and and rotating like a team on a string. #1 in opponent field goal and 3-point percentage last 5 games.

The Lakers’ 5-game win streak is the perfect blueprint for how the Lakers win the NBA championship: Offensively, post highest field goal and 3-point percentages. Defensively, post lowest field goal and 3-point percentages.

Highs and Lows

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Aloha,

What a weird day yesterday. The Pacer had the best record in the NBA since the 1st of the year and we beat them without Luka and Lebron for probably under the circumstances, the best win of the year.

Austin scored 45 points, reminding everyone that, yes Luka is coming but he is also pretty good at basketball. Rui chipped in with 24. His 4th 20+ game in the last 5. It’s not lost on me that when Rui is given the touches he has good scoring games. And his defense on Siakam was very good as well.

And defense again was huge. The entire team was locked in. It’s amazing to me Vando looks after missing so much time. Myself and probably everyone thought it would take time to ramp up but it’s like he was never injured.

Yes everything was looking bright, and I allowed myself to believe we had at least a punchers chance at a championship until the gut punch came.

After the game I’m scrolling through Bleacher Report for reactions and there it was. The Mark Williams trade was rescinded. I’m not going to speculate on what went wrong with our medical staff’s evaluation but the entire trajectory of our season change. While we should be able to find a good center this summer, we are kind of screwed for this year.

While Jackson has ramped up his game recently, it’s clearly not enough. Looking at the centers that have been bought out or are available made me nauseous. When Mo Bamba is the best center out there so far, one worries.

First Rob probably should tell Cam not to unpack because he is gone. We have 2 options. We can sign a guy like Bamba. Or we can cut a 2nd guy, probably Morris and sign both of our 2 way centers. We are far enough under the cap to add two prorated rookie minimum contracts. We could have a center by committee set up. Koloko is the shot blocking lob threat and Tre, the big body banger.

It would certainly help to know the status of Wood. I see him on the bench every game but still no word.

Still I think we are a very good team and will definitely be fun to watch. If we continue to play the connected defense we have been playing, that will make up for some of our center woes. I’m still expecting a playoff run, but my hopes have definitely been tempered. Go Lakers.