The Lakers are now 1-4 in the preseason after falling to the Kings 107-100 Tuesday night. And while most of my mind is still on Lamar Odom and his current struggles in the hospital, the game too is worth a discussion. Even if only to point out how, in the span of two days, the Lakers could look like an entirely different team than the one that defeated Maccabi Haifa.
A lot of that is the talent level of the two opponents, for sure. Facing a bonafide NBA team rather than an Israeli League one isn’t just a step up in talent, but one in strategy, execution, understanding of tendencies, and so many other small details which contribute to the flow of the game and how easy/difficult any given possession is.
However, while crediting the Kings is important, it would be silly to ignore the things the Lakers did and did not do which contributed the differences in their own quality of play. The team simply did too much poorly and took an approach within possessions which is not conducive to winning basketball.
Without further ado, on to the notes…
*The beautiful ball movement from Sunday’s game did not travel to Las Vegas on Tuesday. Rather than explore second and third options within a possession, the Lakers preferred one-pass-then-shoot options or straight isolations/non-pass possessions where the ball handler used his dribble or a ball screen to set up his own shot.
*Jordan Clarkson and Kobe were especially guilty of this strategy. Assists aren’t the greatest indicator of how much a player is passing, since it’s not always the pass which leads to a basket which is important but the pass which leads to the pass which leads to the basket. However, Kobe and Clarkson combined for one assist in a combined 44 minutes. In that same span, they combined for 28 field goal attempts. Again, it’s not just the lack of assists here, but the fact that what we saw was both these guys hunting for their own shots pretty frequently.
*Speaking of Kobe, he left the game with a lower leg contusion in the 3rd quarter. Kobe was posting up Rajon Rondo, spun baseline, got tripped up a little bit, and in the process of stumbling banged legs with Kings’ Center Kosta Koufos. Kobe limped to the sideline, then to the locker room, and did not return. After the game, Byron Scott said Kobe was “fine” and that he was held out for precautionary reasons. He also said the expectation is that Kobe would play on Saturday. Kobe left the game after his injury to go see Lamar in the hospital so he was not available for comment on how he felt. We should get an update on Thursday.
*It was a bit of a rough night for D’Angelo Russell on multiple levels. First, he did not shoot particularly well. His line was 3-8, but he was 1 for his first 5 and recovered near the end of his run in garbage time. Second, while he played 20 minutes on the night, his off the bench work was not as well distributed as it was on Sunday. Scott deployed his rookie guard late in the 1st quarter and gave him an extended run deep into the 2nd period playing mostly with the reserve unit. It was similar in the 2nd half where he sat the entire 3rd period, only to play the entire 4th — again with mostly reserves. After the game Russell commented that he’s not yet sure of his role playing with the 2nd teamers, noting that he just hasn’t had the reps in practice with those specific guys.
*I’m not going to overreact to Scott handling Russell this way for one game, but I do hope it’s not a trend. This is all I’ll say on this now, but if we continue to see Russell off the bench and playing primarily with Lou Williams, Bass, Kelly, and Nick Young…yeah, that won’t be something I endorse.
*Julius Randle didn’t play up to the level he had the previous three games, but he was still pretty damn good. He made 5 of his 9 shots (10 points), grabbed 4 rebounds, and dished out 6 assists. And while he had 4 turnovers as well, they were mistakes of aggression rather than ones of mental errors. I can live with those types of mistakes since, over time, those are learning moments which should inform future decision making.
*Lou Williams isn’t James Harden, but how he’s scoring his points reminds me of the bearded Rocket. Lou only shot 3-11 from the floor, but still scored 16 points on the strength of hitting 9 of his 10 FT’s. I’d like it if Lou didn’t use as many possessions as he is, but when he’s getting to the line and converting at the rate he is, I can turn somewhat of a blind eye.
*Anthony Brown is a nice player in the limited role he’s being asked to fill. He’s not what I’d call an “active” defender, but he’s a good position defender who stays connected and in front of his man most possessions. He can improve on his work off the ball and his general positioning to help maintain scheme integrity, but those are things which come with time.
*Roy Hibbert had another good night on both sides of the ball. He made all 3 of his shots, secured 10 rebounds, and handed out 2 assists. I am most impressed with his awareness on both sides of the ball. Defensively he’s always tracking his own man while knowing exactly where the ball is and where the threats are. Offensively he keeps his head up and his wits about him when his teammates are sliding into spot up positions or cutting into open spaces. These are the makings of a smart player in the pivot and something the Lakers haven’t had recently.
Fern says
In keeping with the other thread i am really really saddened by Lamar Odom’s situation, it’s hard for me to think about the Lakers right now. Lamar was one of my favorite players during our last championship run and im really devastated by all this, i read sonewhere he passed away but i haven’t see any confirmation elsewhere, my sincerest hope is that he get out if this predicament. Really saddened by all this…
bluehill says
Hibbert seems more mobile now than he did in Indiana (not that I watched that many Pacers games). Regardless, pleasantly surprised by his mobility and defensive awareness. That will be needed because our guards aren’t going to be known for their lock-down defense.
matt says
Lakers field goal percentage is low which is a concern i see alot of iso play which needs to stop…. rondo tore us up showing our guards too often look for help and the help leaves their guy open.. some of the player combos coach is trying are looking good and some are not..it is preseason and we gotta understand our coach is more interested in figuring out the lineup than winning…but we gotta shoot and move the ball better..what’s up with a.brown starting two games in a row
JeffT says
Given that Byron said that cuts would be coming later this week, I am very surprised that we did not see any of the players that I would expect to see in this first round of cuts (Frazier, Holmes). We really did not see any of the end-of-bench guys at all this game. I also agree that putting Deangelo next to Williams and Young seems like a waste of effort as those two never seem to pass up an opportunity to shoot.
Having Kelly playing alongside Bass in a small-ball set was also painful to watch, especially when the Kings pulled down 5 or so offensive rebounds in a row.
Macman says
Only a handful of PGs that can stay in front of opposing PGs in the NBA today…It comes down to defensive scheme and that is where reps and practice is needed for the Lakers atm.
Also, BS might be testing to check if A Brown can start for Kobe on Back to Back nights. If only A.Brown can develop like Ariza did under Phil…
One thing is clear, Getting Hibbert in summer was a great move by FO.
Our prayers are always with LO.
rr says
My basic opinion like I said in summer time is that Russell and Randle should probably start unless they look overmatched, and they don’t.
Snarky George says
After a string on very good games Randle had a so/so one. He was guarded for most of his minutes by Gay who is taller and longer. Like in his first game, against Derek Favors, Randle seemingly had trouble with size.
I see Randle success (and the Lakers) being tied to whom he is paired with at the other forward position. Randle can guard a Three but he plays offense like a Four. His running mate must be able to stretch the floor offensively (to give Randle space) but also guard a PF defensively (so Randle can use his speed and strength on the perimeter).
That would be my main objective at the deadline, the draft or free agency: find Julius a running mate.
LO is in my prayers. He always struck me as a thoughtful young man — hoping for the best.
Andres Garcia says
It seems like DAR (opposite to most rookies) needs to learn to speed up a bit. I’d like to see him turn the corner after the pick and assertively force the issue. Really try to get into the lane and finish. I’m not sure I’ve seen him do that yet. But, I think it’ll open up the floor for him in terms of giving him room on his J and passing opportunities (bc of help).
Todd says
A friend noticed that Mudiay is playing very well and asked if he would have been a better fit for the Lakers than Russell. While I think its possible that he hits his stride before Russell does, I don’t think he would necessarily have been a better fit. Their games are vastly different. Mudiay is a gifted slasher/driver and as such can’t be described as a pure point guard.
While Russell can score, I think his focus of the last few games has been exactly where I would have hoped it would be: passing and creating shots for his team mates. That is what the Lakers need right now – as a pure PG makes a developing team so much more attractive to watch (as a fan) and possibly join (if you’re a FA). It wouldn’t surprise me that Russell eventually becomes a 20 pt scorer but I think that will be in the context of the Lakers offensive flow as opposed to him making sure he gets ‘his’ every game.
Anonymous says
Todd,
I mentioned prior to the draft that I slightly preferred Mudiay to Russell due to athleticism, but Russell may well turn out to be better. I did back taking Russell over Okafor, and we will see how that goes.
I have Denver as one of my LeagueP teams for this year.
rr says
316 pm is me.
Todd says
Insightful article about how Greg Monroe landed with the Bucks:
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/13885602/nba-how-milwaukee-bucks-landed-greg-monroe
Note: I provide no editorial comments about our FO or our pitch. I just thought it was an interesting read.
Obviously, Cleveland is the favorite in the East because of Lebron. However, LBJ has logged more minutes and miles than any other 30 year old in NBA history. If Lebron falters then so do the Cavs. If the East is up for grabs I think the Bucks are closer to rising to the top than many might realize.
Darius Soriano says
Todd,
What’s interesting about your description of Mudiay is that it matches how many would describe Clarkson. Where I disagree with you is that Mudiay looks to have great passing instincts and advanced feel for the game.
In reality, I think Mudiay and Russell are different sides of the same coin in that Mudiay isn’t the shooter Russell is while Russell isn’t the physical talent Mudiay is. Both will leverage those strengths as keys to setting up the rest of their respective games (including their passing). We’ll see how each does.
Hale says
It might be an oversimplification but Lin was injured last preseason which led to Byron coming up with the brilliant plan of using his 3rd string guard as a starter. It took Price’s body spontaneously combusting to end that routine. If Russell is healthy, he needs to start and play with the first unit instead of herding cats.
I didn’t like Hibbert playing so many minutes yesterday. He has miles on him so you know what you’re getting. Sacre or the other C should have started or sucked up minutes.
Randle is fairly crafty in the paint and will get more clever as he learns to control his body. Clarkson’s shovel pass was pretty (nice wraparound also) and he’s showing good ball control in heated moments, but yeah, he’s shoot first.
Their defensive rotations are horrible. Too much switching. Kelly was switched on Collison five times in a row. They routinely leave Hibbert naked with no one helping off his rotation. Same thing happened when Dwight was the 5.
JohnnyP says
Love this blog! rr!
GOOOooooOOOO LAKERS
Prob says
First and foremost, my thoughts and prayers to LO and his family..
The problem with the lakers is Byron Scott and he’s not the best choice to be the head coach of this team. Byron’s known for his intense practices, and basically running players in to the ground in hopes of finding out who’s mentally strong on the team, and who’s not. The problem with this is it’s the worst way to prepare your players for a 82 game season at this level. Maybe if your a collage coach or even a high school coach trying to prepare your players for their future, but not in the NBA with grown men in their 30’s.
The reason these players have reached this stage in their career’s is because their professionals! It’s up to them to come in to camp in shape or risk being cut, its as simple as that. Your job as coach is to make sure they know the sets and the communication on defense is established.
By turning your training camp into a mini boot camp, your risking injuries early in the season which can linger for the rest of the season, resulting in long injury riddled season once again..
I’m not saying Byron is a bad coach, I’m just saying he shouldn’t be the head coach. He does well with young guards interms of development and implementing work ethic, and he does have some good philosophy’s that can help a team. But as far as being the head guy calling the shots I just don’t think he’s helping the team grow. And I don’t think he’s helping the veterans by running them into the ground in training camp like their back in the AAU circuit with young legs.
Robert says
Fern: Welcome back
Ken: (prior thread) Is that you? Ko?
Lamar: Everyone should be sending some positive thoughts and prayers out to this guy.
Hale: “Their defensive rotations are horrible.” Well -yes. We have Lou and Nick who could be two of the worst disciplined defensive guys in the NBA. We have a bunch of young guys who have not learned the ropes yet, and we have Kobe and Hibbert. So what you see is what you get.
rr: Your posts are so good that I think I will retain you as my GM. No contract extension though. You are on a year to year basis until we get out of this hole. When will that be by the way?
KevTheBold says
I agree with you Darius.
D’Angelo and Williams are not a good fit, and D’Angelo is not best utilized off the bench.
The offence stagnated on both the first and second lineup in that setup.
I hope Scott was simply testing his players pre-cut. If not, we need a more rookie unbiased coach, because not only would he be delaying the development of a potential super star PG, but the whole team.
Speaking of testing, I hope Scott does not fall for Kelly’s pre-cut hustle. We have seen how he relaxes, and slacks off, once he’s safe from the guillotine.
Lastly I wonder if anyone else notices how how beautiful D’Angelo’s shooting stroke is, and how accurate it can be?
I believe he will one day out duel Curry.
Kev The Bold says
I send my prayer to the life force, to help Lamar Odom find his way back to life, and then find his way, in life.
Kev The Bold says
I also agree with Hale, and Hibbert’s health needs long term consideration, and Upshaw needs playing time to bloom.
Fern says
@Robert, thanks, i been away for a bit because honestly i needed a break from the Lakers i be around often enough when the season starts.
AusPhil says
A somewhat off-topic post from me to see if FB&G can come through for me as it has in the past. My wife & I are making another pilgrimage to LA over the December/January period, and would love to catch a game or 2. If there’s anyone out there with season tickets they’d be interested in selling to us for a game, that’d be great. An FB&G member has done this in the past, and it worked out great. We’ll be in LA for the following games:
vs. Milwaukee on 15 Dec, vs. Philadelphia on 1 Jan, vs. Phoenix on 3 Jan, vs. Golden State on 5 Jan, vs OKC on 8 Jan, vs Utah on 10 Jan and vs New Orleans on 12 Jan.
If anyone can help out, let me know via email at philmead@tpg.com.au Any game is fine.
If not, then we’ll be hitting up the online ticketing stores!
Michael H. says
I’m going to say this which is essentially the same thing that I said last year. At some point we have to recognize the reality that is staring us right in front of our face. This is essentially a new team with a lot of new and fresh players who have played for Byron, and certainly for the Lakers organization, for the first time. And yet we are seeing the same exact mistakes, lack of passion, lack of defensive rotations, and selfish shot taking that transpired all last year. This is a trend that can only be attributed to one person – the coach Byron Scott! There is no more denying it at this point. There is too much talent on this year’s team to let it go to waste. The Lakers have got to move on from Scott even as they will have to move on from Kobe. It is time to cut bait and bring in the new. I loved Byron from back in the day, but it is a whole new NBA and he is not moving fast enough to keep pace with it. It’s just that simple! Wake up lakers, Jim Buss, and the Buss family! Do what you know needs to be done and do it now before we have to go through another losing cycle of pain. I’m just sayin. #Wakeup!
matt says
I don’t know if anyone else noticed that the lakers schedule is easy at the beginning….first 20 games only about 5 tuff teams
Darius Soriano says
Michael,
I’m not sure you can put bad shot selection/selfishness of guys like Nick Young and Lou Williams on Byron Scott. The defensive issues are also a chicken/egg proposition for me. I do not think it’s a coincidence the defensive issues under Scott in Cleveland mirror what’s going on with the Lakers, I also do not think Scott has many good defensive players on this roster. So, again, tough to say this is totally a Byron issue.
matt says
Isn’t that a trip how kobe refered to randle as a lamar odom type player about a week ago
J C says
Darius
I think we know Byron’s ceiling isn’t too high as a coach, regardless of whether it’s a lack of defensive strategy, or team motivating, or whatever.
I realize he had successes with Kidd and Chris Paul but in my book, his disastrous season in Cleveland (consecutive loss record) cannot be blamed completely on Lebron’s departure, because he duplicated that performance with franchise record-setting losses here.
Byron is a strong torch-bearer for our franchise and not much more.