How Lakers couldn’t make a shot but still won opener

How the Lakers couldn't make a shot but still won their opener https://t.co/VQOH1x3esD

— LakerTom (@LakerTom) October 24, 2024

The value of shooting — even just as a concept

The Lakers were one of four teams to shoot worse than 30% from three this preseason, so it shouldn’t be too big of a surprise that they started the season slowly from distance.

In their win against Minnesota, the Lakers made only five of 30 from three, an appallingly bad shooting night for a team that’s spent real time and effort trying to shoot more from deep.

So how did they win? And why was it so surprising?

The Lakers became just the 11th team since the introduction of the three-point shot to attempt 30 or more threes and make five or fewer and still win. (Good news, the 2019-20 Lakers were one of the other teams to pull this off.)

In talking to players and coaches after the game, a few things stood out as to how they managed to beat Minnesota on a night when they couldn’t get a shot to fall.

For one, Minnesota really struggled. The Timberwolves turned the ball over 15 times, new acquisitions Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo were fairly quiet, and it took them until the second half to play with any real defensive force.

But two, the Lakers played incredibly hard, from LeBron James on down, in their first game under JJ Redick. They, not Minnesota, “punched first,” as NBA coaches love to say, dictating the physicality with their effort and speed.

Three, the Lakers made good on their promise to be more physical on the offensive glass. They created 15 offensive rebounds with effort and intentionality — Austin Reaves had four of them.

And, probably most important, Anthony Davis dominated. Some of that dominance, though, can be attributed to the Lakers properly spacing the floor around him and at least being threats to shoot from three even if they couldn’t buy a basket. While the quality of three-point shot went down from a typical Lakers game last season, the volume of attempts and the motion to create them gave Davis more room to attack Rudy Gobert without the threat of help coming to double.

The Lakers will need to make shots to have a successful season, and the double teams on Davis are coming sooner rather than later, but Tuesday night, the willingness and intention from beyond the three-point line was enough to pull the Timberwolves away from the rim and give the Lakers a chance for an improbable win.