“Everybody is looking for the same, conventional box for winning a championship. It can be done in a lot of different ways. Jimmy is a max guy, a go-to guy, a killer,” Spoelstra said. “However you want to describe it, who cares? He knows how to win, he knows how to help teams win, and the game is played on both sides of the floor, and it’s played with IQ, it’s played with toughness, it’s played with making plays in those winning moments. It’s not necessarily what everybody thinks it is.
“He’s just a winner, and he showed that tonight.”
Spo is right. There is no one all-consuming manner in which a banner winning team is assembled, no analytic metric that makes winning easier and it’s not always about stats. It takes a whole carousel of skills, talents and grit.
We’ve brought in what were thought to be volume three point shooting marksmen in each of the last 2 seasons. From Wes Matthews to Ben McLemore to Wayne Ellington (again) we have run the gamut of guys whose shooting was supposed to open up the floor for LeBron and AD only to, mystifyingly, not see that happen. Why? Because teams would rather defend LeBron and force someone else to beat them regardless of where that shot comes from.
Whatever we do this summer, this quote should be at the heart of it. We need high IQ guys with more than just shooting as a skill. Defense, playmaking, and, yes, scoring are all parts of a winning combination. No need to focus on one, we need guys who have some of all three.
Also, Jimmy B is the man. Wish we had 6 guys like that on the roster…
Couple reasons, I’ve always maintained that LA is where plus shooters go to die. Get that money, soak up the lifestyle, stink it up on the court. 2nd, Lebron just ain’t that Lebron any more. Drive and dish only really works if you can actually get by someone and draw the defender.
I think LeBron is really just driving less and less. Since the high ankle sprain he is far more reliant on the three ball.
Outstanding post, Jamie. You’re right that we’ve focused on shooters who in most cases have forgotten how to shoot when dressed in purple and gold but the bigger problem was we did not have a head coach capable of creating an offense to utilize that shooting because of the terrible roster construction where Russ used up one of the spots you could put a shoot while DeAndre Jordan used up a second spot, leaving room for just one shooter on the floor. And no plays run to create shots for our best shooters like Monk.
I hope we learned three things this terrible season:
1. We need size at every position. That’s how we won in 2020. We can play small ball style but we need to do it with bigger players.
2. We need to surround LeBron and AD with three players who can shoot the three and defend their positions.
3. There’s still room for elite midrange shooting, especially to close games or take advantage of players like Melo.
Build a team following modern offensive and defensive philosophy but understand there are big and small teams out there so be prepared to be elite playing both ways.
“1. We need size at every position. That’s how we won in 2020. We can play small ball style but we need to do it with bigger players.”
Well said, Tom. Unlike the bubble roster, size has been our biggest shortcoming this season. It’s been a glaring problem that needs to be addressed. I would also like to thank Jamie for such a nice piece of article.
Thanks Buba.
Ehhh, I’m not really worried about the three point offense. I’m certainly not worried about a starting spot being occupied by a big that isn’t a three point shooter. We had a traditional big man all season long when we took the #1 seed in the (at the time better) western conference. Here’s something worth looking at:
2019-20: 2,242 total 3pt FGA, 782 made for 34.9% = #1 seed, title
2020-21 (70 games): 2,248 3pt FGA, 796 made for 35.4% = playin
2021-22: 2,826 3pt FGA, 982 made for 34.7% = crap season
Three point shooting is not the problem. Each season after we won it all we attempted more threes, even the short season was more than our #1 seed season and we only got worse as a team. Frank’s offense, while unimaginative and overly reliant on LeBron, wasn’t a problem in our title winning season. If anything I would say he strayed too far from the principles that garnered him a ring every season after. The problem is now we don’t attack the paint like we did in the season we won it all. We also let all the high IQ good defenders walk or traded them.
Since we won it all we have gone through the “Who’s Who” of NBA marksmen. That’s not how we won. We won with defense, high IQ and grit. Not exactly on-brand for the perception of Laker basketball but it worked. A lot better than the jack it up teams have since then, anyhow. Did we make some timely threes? Sure, but we also did a much better job of forcing the opposition into tough shots, contesting threes, and having a defense first mentality. The defense was how we won.
To your point about size, that was, again, a hallmark of the team we broke up. I think you have to run it back after a banner, it means you’ve unlocked something special and difficult to re-create with other players. We instantly chose to deviate from a winning formula and will continue to pay the price for it next season. Not running back was a mistake we doubled-down on last summer. Now we’re strapped for assets and hoping for a miracle trade to stay relevant. Not contenders, mind you, relevant.
So, while there’s no going back in time to not break up the title winning team, make something positive happen from the Dennis Schroeder debacle, not let Caruso walk, or any of the long list of blown opportunities by the Laker front office, we can look to use the team that won it all as a blueprint for the future. I doubt the Lakers have it in them to admit that kind of failure and short-sightedness but you never know.
The reason teams were able to make it hard for LeBron, AD, and Russ from getting into the paint and attack the rim was because the roster construction and coaching were not designed to create more or better 3-point attempts.
Failure to create spacing for our poor shooting superstars to get lanes for them to attack the rim is why our offense was so poor. Your claims that 3-point shooting don’t matter are silly.
The Lakers would not have won the bubbe championship if LeBron hadn’t shot 37.0% and AD 38.3% from deep. Nobody could match us with them shooting like that from deep.
The Lakers need to surround LeBron and AD with 3-point shooters who can are well rounded players who can also pass and defend. They have three slots to do that. While I’m not totally opposed to their dedicating the center spot to a traditional low post center, the smarter move is to find somebody who can play low post and five out.
Versatiity is better than being a team that only relies on playing big or small. Same with shooting and analytics. Threes, layups, dunks, and free throws do rule but when you need two to tie or win a game, a midrange jumper could br the best option.
Versatility!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m assuming you were going to say something about teams keeping LeBron out of the paint. I don’t think that’s the case at all. If so how were we able to take the #1 seed with a traditional big man and taking fewer threes?
No, I think LeBron has consciously chosen to drive less in order to reduce the potential for injury. That’s also why I see his window for a title here all but closed. We won’t see freight train LeBron much anymore, we’re going to see Perimeter LeBron more and more.
The reason we were able to win #1 seed with a traditional low post center but abandoned that except for a few starts by Dwight in playoffs where we replaced Dwight and JaVale with Markieff Morris who shot 42% from 3.
While I do think LeBron is taking more threes and driving less due to age and injury, it’s silly not to admit that the main problem is a lack of spacing due to lack of 3-point gravity and offense designed to shoot more threes.
It’s equally silly to say that’s the sole reason, dude. This is my entire point: we need defenders first and foremost. Size helps with that, size (not length) helps with rebounding, too.
Morris? He had almost zero part in us taking the #1 seed my friend, he didn’t even get minutes until after the pandemic started. He did play great in the Bubble, not so much at all the following season.
If size and defense comes with a three point shooter, wonderful, that’s nothing to sneeze at. but the list of players that checks those boxes are both few and mostly unavailable to us this summer.
Thus my point being we need to focus on getting the best defenders and high IQ guys as possible. Three point shooting is like 5th or so on the list of important skills.
I wouldn’t rank 3-point shooting fifth. I think there are some things that are almost requirements. Shooting and defense. If you can’t do either, you better be the world’s greatest at something else because fit is too important. It’s what makes a team better than five individuals.
Other then the importance of spacing and 3-point shooting, we’re pretty much in agreement. We need players who are good at the shooting and defense to start with and then have a game that fits what we want for the team and what works with LeBron and AD.
Besides shooting and defense, the players we add need to be smart, work hard, play hard, make the right plays, and fit. And be bigger and more physical than others at their position. That’s what we need.
I suppose when I see you reply “Three point shooting” I go back to last offseason where you had “volume” along with that. That’s where I completely disagree, the only thing we need in volume are wins. How we get there is borderline irrelevant to me. The number of players who are elite three point shooters and elite defenders can be counted on one hand, those who will be available for us this summer are zero. So, for now, I am hoping we get some high IQ, good (not elite) defenders.
And all of this without even knowing what the coach will want to run or how the franchise wants the team to look, lol.
I’m all in on versatility. I also am in favor of size at all positions. But we don’t need guys who are elite three point shooters, they just need to be willing to take the good shots that are created for them. I think the numbers bear that out.
Also, and again, we did not win a title because AD ad LBJ shot well from three, that only helped the cause. No more or less than the excellent defense that team was able to play, the rebounding acumen our non-shooting bigs had, and something that has been lost lately: good health.
I agree with everything but the 3-point shooting. Maybe one backup center who doesn’t shoot the three or a legit lock down defender. Other than that, every player on the roster needs to be able to stretch defenses.
I will add that I agree 100% on needing better skilled size. Like I said, not as worried about guys who can shoot the three as I don’t think it’s a part of the problem, if anything we shoot too many now.
#3 is a big thing for you to say so appreciate that, LT. 😉
I’ve never been against midrange jump shooters who can make those shots with ease. That was always Kobe’s game, MJ’s game. Guys like Booker and CP3, Durant, those are like layups to them. For the average NBA players, however, step back and take a three or attack the rim unless you can shoot over 50% from midrange.
We’re starting to see an adjustment to the pure analytics extreme, which is part of the evolution that happens in professional sports. It all comes down to the percentage of shots the player can make from different zones on the floor. In the end, it’s been proven though that 3 > 2. Analytics has changed the game for good and there’s no going back.
Tom, speaking of midrange shots, that is one reason why I want Melo back next season. He sure can be counted on that.
His midrange kept us in many games, Buba. He’s proof the midrange is not dead. It’s just limited to a handful of guys for whom those shots are layups.