The Los Angeles Lakers are currently one of the most heavily discussed teams of the NBA season, but not for the reason NBA fans would expect.
The Lakers entered the season as a team that was expected to be in the top six seeds of the playoffs in the West after their signing of superstar forward Lebron James and the addition of veterans like point guard Rajon Rondo and center JaVale McGee. However, the Lakers have been very underwhelming thus far, which has both baffled and frustrated fans. As of Nov. 11, 2018, the Lakers are 6-6 and sitting at the 11th spot in the Western Conference. While this may seem like a terrible place in the standings, it is worth noting that the Lakers are only a half game out of the eighth spot held by the Sacramento Kings. Despite this, most experts and fans expected the Lakers to do better than 6-6.
STARTING OFF SLOWLY
The first reason that the Lakers have been doing worse than expected this season is that Lebron James’ statistical output has been less than normal. While he is still putting up great numbers, it is much less than we have come to expect from a player like Lebron James. His averages of 26.4 points per game is almost a full point lower than last season, and his current marks of 7.8 rebounds per game and 7.3 assists per game are the lowest averages he’s had since the first season of his second stint with the Cavs in 2015. Perhaps the most telling stat, however, is that his field goal percentage has dropped from last season by four percentage points. His three-point percentage is the third lowest it has been in his entire career. While this may be a pretty tough for many of his fans to admit, it seems as if Lebron is finally showing signs of aging and fatigue, which explains his statistical drop off so far this season.
YOUNG TEAM
LeBron’s statistical output is not the only problem with the Lakers. The team is a very young team with important players like Kyle Kuzma, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and Brandon Ingram who are in their first few seasons in the NBA. When you couple this to the fact that the Lakers overhauled their roster this past season and added 9 new players through the draft and free agency (10 when you include their recent signing of Tyson Chandler), it is easy to see how it might take time to develop some team chemistry. Many teams put together this quickly in the past have not started off great either. The 2008 Lakers added star power forward Pau Gasol and started off their season 3-3, as did the Cleveland Cavaliers after LeBron’s triumphant return and the addition of Kevin Love. While Lakers fans are constantly in a “win now” state of mind and expect their team to always be competitive, it may take some time for this team to find the recipe for success.
SCORING TECHNIQUES
Many people look at the Lakers offensive team stats and are confused as to why the Lakers are struggling this season. They are sixth overall in total points scored per game right under thriving teams like the Toronto Raptors and the Indiana Pacers. They also lead the league in the percentage of points in the paint, which suggests that they attack the rim well. However, the Lakers score the second highest percentage of their points off of fast breaks (just under 20%), which means that when the game slows down, so does the Lakers offense. They are only an average offensive rebounding team (16th in the league), and to top it off, the Lakers are 23rd in the league in the percentage of their points that come from the three-point line, which is due to the fact that they are in the bottom third of the league in overall three-point percentage. These trends make the Lakers offense one dimensional, which makes them easier to plan for and easier to stop.
LACK OF REBOUNDING AND SUB-PAR DEFENSIVE SKILLS
The last, and most important, reasons the Lakers have underachieved this season are sub-par defensive efforts and a lack of rebounding, which are connected. A defensive possession is not really a defensive stop until the rebound is secured, which is something the Lakers are not doing well this season. They are 28th in the league in opponents’ offensive rebounds per game (12.6), which is part of reason why the Lakers are 23rd in the league in points allowed per game (116.3). With such a weak defense, it makes the games fast paced, close and high scoring, and while these types of games are very entertaining, it is often tough to win close games with young players. Because their defense is so bad, it forces the Lakers to rely on their offense, which dooms them when they play against good defensive teams like the Raptors or the Spurs.
Even though the Lakers have had early season woe
s, fans should not lose hope. They are currently riding a two-game win streak and have signed Tyson Chandler, who has helped bolster their defense and improve their team rebounding. While Lakers fans might feel anxious about the team currently, it’s important to be patient. After waiting since 2012 to watch a dominant Lakers team, a few more months of waiting shouldn’t be much of a problem. Over time, the Lakers will improve and will be a serious playoff contender for at least the next four years.