Dion Waiters

Should the Los Angeles Lakers Think about Changing their Starting Lineup?

August 2, 2020 By LakerTom 1 Comment

While basketball experts would think it crazy to change starters after just two games, the Lakers’ starting lineup has been a statistical nightmare in the season restart with just six games remaining before the playoffs begin.

While a veteran coach like Frank Vogel is unlikely to make a drastic move, all five Lakers’ starters posted negative net ratings while all five Lakers’ reserves had positive net ratings the first two games of the season restart. While the Lakers won’t make wholesale changes to their starting lineup, it would be foolish for the coaching staff to ignore this red flag and not start considering possible changes in who starts or at least in minutes played.

After all, the clock is ticking and the Lakers only have six more regular season ‘seeding’ games to make changes to get ready for the playoffs. Here are the Lakers’ player net rating for first two games per NBA.com:

The challenge for Frank Vogel and his staff is to create a starting lineup that complements superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, which requires more than anything else players who can hit open shots and play defense. From the above stats, we can see the problem with the Lakers’ starting lineups the last two games was offense, not defense. Per NBA.com, Lakers’ starters had a poor 66.7 offensive rating and good 102.2 defensive rating.

The Lakers’ 3-point shooting stats the last two games confirms the problem. As a team, the Lakers’ shot just 27.6% from deep, 29th worst out of 30 teams. Opponents scored 27 more points from deep in the last two games. The Lakers’ poor 3-point shooting allowed the Clippers and the Raptors to clog the middle and keep LeBron James and Anthony Davis from getting to the rim, which was a big factor leading to their subpar performances.

Lakers’ superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis as a duo average 52.1 points per game on 50.1% from the field but in the last two games were held to just 42.0 points per game and just 38.3% field goal percentage. While it’s easy to write off the outcome as James and Davis having subpar games, the truth is the poor shooting performances of their teammates in the Lakers’ starting lineup was likely the reason for their subpar games.

So what are the options the Lakers’ coaching staff should consider? The obvious solution is surround LeBron and AD with better shooting. Here are Lakers’ players 3-point shooting stats the last two games per NBA.com:

It’s obvious the problem with the starting lineup the last two games has been the shooting of guard Danny Green and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Combined, the two have made only 6 of 28 threes for a dismal 21.4%. Caldwell-Pope and Green are the Lakers’ best 3-point shooters so it would be foolish to replace them as starters but the team shouldn’t hesitate to put them on a short lease or fewer minutes if they continue to shoot poorly.

The NBA is a copycat league and the problem facing the Lakers is teams are going to increasingly clog the middle and challenge the Lakers to make shots from beyond the arc so 3-point shooting is going to become critical. The Lakers cannot afford to give players who aren’t shooting well extended time to fix the problem. The playoffs are right around the corner, which means Green and Caldwell-Pope need to start hitting their threes right now.

Should Green or KCP continue to miss their threes, Frank Vogel should not hesitate to start or give Dion Waiters more minutes. While he’s only shot 3 of 12 from deep so far, he’s been a 37.7% 3-point shooter the last two years. While the Lakers envisioned Waiters as the playmaker and shot creator for the second unit when LeBron rests, Dion has posted a better two-player net rating with both James and Davis than either Green or Caldwell-Pope.

Finally, the other option the Lakers have should consider if KCP and/or Green don’t start hitting their threes is moving Anthony Davis to the five to replace JaVale McGee and inserting Kyle Kuzma into the starting lineup. Kuz has already earned a role in the Lakers closing rotation and is playing the second most minutes after LeBron. At some point, Kuzma and Waiters are going to become key players in the Lakers championship quest.s0-

Frank Vogel’s been steadfast in keeping the same starting lineup all year but the playoffs are different and the Lakers need to watch Green’s and KCP’s shooting woes closely and adjust sooner rather than later if necessary.

Dion Waiters & Kyle Kuzma Were the Unsung Heroes in Win Over Clippers!

August 1, 2020 By LakerTom 1 Comment

While the Lakers’ LeBron James and Anthony Davis were outplayed by the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the Lakers were still able to eke out a 103–101 victory because of the play of Kyle Kuzma and Dion Waiters.

While it’s just one game, the top-rated two-player lineup who played more than 20 minutes for the Lakers in Thursday night’s opening season restart game against the Clippers was the duo of Dion Waiters and Kyle Kuzma. That’s right. Dion Waiters and Kyle Kuzma. Better than LeBron James and any other Lakers player. Better than Anthony Davis and any other Lakers player. In fact, far better than even LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Waiters and Kuzma’s net rating of 36.5 (offensive rating of 131.8 less defensive rating of 95.3) was the best of the six Lakers’ two-player lineups that were on the court for more than 20 minutes against the Clippers.

Here’s the Lakers two-player lineup results from NBA.com:

We wrote a few days ago ‘How Kuzma and Waiters Breaking Out Could Change Lakers’ Offseason Plans!’ and Thursday night’s game showed just how critical Kyle Kuzma and Dion Waiters could be in the Clippers win. Despite a subpar game from LeBron (other than his last minute heroics on offense and defense) and the Clippers outscoring the Lakers by 15 points from deep, Kuzma and Waiters were key factors in the team’s triumph.

To produce a game best Lakers two-player net rating of 36.5, Dion Waiters and Kyle Kuzma obviously had to have equally impressive individual games both offensively and defensively, which is exactly what they each did. Waiters posted a team best net rating of 36.5 (offensive rating of 131.8 less defensive rating of 95.3) while Kuzma contributed a team third best net rating of 22.8 (offensive rating of 116.4 less defensive rating of 101.5).

Here are the advanced player stats for Waiters and Kuzma from NBA.com:

The continued stellar play off the bench by Kyle Kuzma and Dion Waiters has helped fill the Lakers’ desperate roster need from earlier in the season to find a missing third scorer, second playmaker, and elite wing defender. The impact Waiters and Kuzma had in the Lakers big win over the Clippers is confirmed by their team best and second best plus/minus ratings for the game. Waiters posted a +17 and Kuzma a +12 plus/minus for the game.

Here are the traditional player stats for Waiters and Kuzma from NBA.com:

Kyle Kuzma posted 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists in 32 minutes with a team second best +12 plus/minus while hitting 4 of 8 (50%) from the field, 4 of 7 (57%) from beyond the arc, and 4 of 5 (80%) on the free throw line. Kuzma’s impact went beyond offense as he emerged as the Lakers best defender against Kawhi Leonard in the second half, holding him to just 1 of 5 from the field and forcing him to get rid of the ball numerous times.

Dion Waiters contributed 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists in 21 minutes with a team best +17 plus/minus while shooting 5 of 10 (50%) from the field despite only hitting 1 of 6 (17%) threes and not getting to the line. Waiters ability to beat his man and get into the paint caused havoc to the Clippers’ defense and continued the guard’s campaign to earn a permanent spot in the Lakers rotation not only for this season and but going forward.

The coronavirus bubble has transformed the 2019–20 NBA season into an unprecedented challenge that’s given Kyle Kuzma and Dion Waiters golden opportunities that they might never have had to become unsung heroes. Fortunately for the Lakers, they both seem to be relishing the challenge.

Lakers Fast Break – Kobe and Gigi Thoughts with Lakerholics Crew!

July 28, 2020 By Lakers Fast Break 1 Comment

Rafael Barlowe from NBA Draft Junkies, and LakerTom and Jamie Sweet from lakerholics.com stop by to share thoughts on the 6-month anniversary of Kobe and Gigi Bryant’s death. Plus they break down the upcoming NBA Bubble Season and just how the Lakers look heading into the restart this week. The guys also chat with Gerald about how the presentation by the league has been so far, how well the Black Lives Matter message has been integrated within the bubble, and if the guys have concerns for the Lakers heading into the playoffs. All this and has any of them changed their minds on who the favorite could be and more on our latest Lakers Fast Break podcast!

Don’t forget to Subscribe to our shows and leave us that 5-Star Review with your questions on Apple Podcasts or e-mail us at lakersfastbreak@yahoo.com!

Presented by our friends at NBA Draft Junkies, lakerholics.net, Pop Culture Cosmos, Zero Cool Films, the novel Congratulations, You Suck (available for purchase HERE), and Retro City Games!

What Should Lakers’ Fans Expect in the Scrimmages and Seeding Games?

July 22, 2020 By LakerTom 1 Comment

After a three and a half month hiatus, the Los Angeles Lakers will return to the hardwood in a pre-playoff tuneup consisting of three scrimmages and eight regular season seeding games at a neutral site in the Orlando bubble.

Having essentially clinched top seed in the Western Conference and facing an unprecedented season restart plus the unexpected loss of their starting and backup point guards, what should Lakers fans expect from their team? That’s the question we’re going to try to answer as Lebron James, Anthony Davis, and the Los Angeles Lakers get ready for tomorrow afternoon’s 4:00 pm PST first scrimmage against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.

A couple of early concerns have already been answered. First, the bubble seems to be working to keep the players safe from Covid-19 as the league announced yesterday all 346 NBA players in Orlando tested negative. Second, the league may have solved the challenge of broadcasting games without fans by smartly surrounding the court with video screens and banners and piping in NBA2K crowd noise to simulate game conditions.

After watching the first two scrimmages on NBA TV this afternoon, I’m confident the league is going to pull this off. I was surprised how easy it was to forget there were no fans in the seats and just enjoy watching the games. The players already are adjusting to life in the bubble and appear eager and ready to get back to playing the game they love. With that in mind, here’s what Lakers fans should expect in the upcoming scrimmages and games:

1. KCP will start for Avery Bradley.

With Avery Bradley opting not to join the team in Orlando due to family concerns, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will start at point guard for the Lakers, who went 17–3 earlier in the year when he replaced an injured Bradley. While KCP’s not as pesky a defender as Avery, he still plays quality defense and could potentially give LeBron James and Anthony Davis better spacing to attack the rim since he’s the team’s best 3-point shooter at 39.4%,

2. Waiters will come off bench for Rondo.

While the Lakers view the loss of Rajon Rondo for 6 to 8 weeks as a setback, the silver lining is it opens the door for newcomer Dion Waiters to earn a role and playing time as the team’s primary playmaker when LeBron rests. While Waiters is not a true point guard, his elite mix of shotmaking and playmaking could be exactly what the Lakers’ second unit needs and his 38.2% 3-point shooting the last two years is far better than Rondo’s 34.4%.

3. Load Management for LeBron and AD.

With the top seed in the West all but locked up, the Lakers will embrace load management and limit playing time for LeBron James and Anthony Davis to avoid injury and keep them fresh and healthy for the playoffs. Frank Vogel’s already said LeBron and AD won’t play in all the scrimmages and soon as they get their coordination, timing, and game conditioning back and the Lakers clinch the West, he may shut them down entirely.

4. Kuzma will be part of closing lineup.

Kyle Kuzma is finally fully healthy, has had three and a half months to get his head straight and work on his game, and understands how he plays the rest of this season and the playoffs will impact his future in the league. Word is Kuz has been one of the early standouts for the Lakers in Orlando, even dominating at times according to coach Vogel. It makes sense for the Lakers to find out if he can live up to the challenge of being a game closer.

5. Anthony Davis will play more center.

While Frank Vogel has said the Lakers will continue to rely on their regular season center tandem of JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard, the reality is matchups will require Anthony Davis to play more center in the playoffs. Preparing for AD at the five demands the Lakers figure out who’s going to be playing with him in those lineups. We’ll probably see the Lakers test different lineups with Kuzma or Morris at the four and AD the five.

6. Talen, Devontae, and Kostas will play.

While KCP and Waiters should be capable replacements for Bradley and Rondo, the loss of the latter hurt the Lakers depth so it makes sense that they give Horton-Tucker, Cacok, and Antetokounmpo get a chance to play. THT especially could see legitimate playing time in the scrimmages and seeding games since the Lakers have lost two key rotation guards while Devontae and Kostas could give the team needed front court reserves.

As much as Lakers fans are eager to see their team play, they need to realize it doesn’t matter who wins the 3 scrimmages and 8 seeding games. They’re simply pre-season games for what in the end is really a second NBA season. Without home court advantage, even finishing as the #1 seed in the West offers no advantage so the Lakers’ goal is to figure out who replaces Bradley and Rondo and make sure nobody gets injured after the long layoff.

While it will be fun watching the Lakers take on the Clippers on July 30th, the real games and drama won’t start until August 18th when the Lakers take on the team that wins the 8th spot in the Western Conference playoffs. So kick back, chillax, and whet your appetite for the real deal by watching 3 meaningless scrimmages and 8 semi-meaningless regular season seeding games because you still have almost a full month until the season begins.

‘LAKERS FAST BREAK’ PODCAST (Jul-20) The NBA Tip Hotline with LakerTom!

July 20, 2020 By LakerTom 1 Comment

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LakerTom from lakerholics is back for his weekly sitdown with Gerald as the excitement builds for the NBA teams beginning scrimmages this week down in the Orlando bubble. Here’s a breakdown of what they discussed:

02:30 – Dwight getting snitched without a mask in the bubble.
11:27 – What to do with all those empty seats in arenas.
17:15 – What Lakers need to accomplish in the scrimmages.
26:05 – What Rondo’s role will be when he comes back.
31.:35 – Why JR Smith and 3-point shooting is critical.
35:50 – LeBron James’ focus on winning a championship.
41:40 – Who’s going to win the NBA regular season awards.
49:00 – Why the Orlando Bubble is a situation made for LeBron.
52:30 – Players’ choices for social justice slogans on jerseys.

Don’t forget to Subscribe to our shows and leave us that 5-Star Review with your questions on Apple Podcasts or e-mail us at lakersfastbreak@yahoo.com!

Presented by our friends at NBA Draft Junkies, lakerholics.net, Pop Culture Cosmos, Zero Cool Films, the novel Congratulations, You Suck (available for purchase HERE), and Retro City Games!