Lakers clash with continuity, issues go over and above health
It’s not just about the Lakers’ health problems; there are other factors contributing to their struggles.
As other teams feverishly pursued star players like the Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, and Milwaukee Bucks (and eventually the LA Clippers), Pelinka highlighted the Lakers' strength in their solid roster and depth. Praising this roster is futile with the fans, given their dissatisfaction after a 3-5 start.
However, even the strongest teams can only repel a certain amount of pressure. With eight games under their belt, the Lakers are still waiting to see the positive conclusions of their roster construction. Their progress has been impeded because of injuries to key players and a subpar performance from their supporting cast.
On Wednesday, at the Toyota Center, the Lakers suffered a devastating 128-94 loss against the Houston Rockets. Los Angeles' season record took a hit, falling to 3-5, as they experienced their third consecutive loss during their current four-game road trip and maintained their winless record on the road this season at 0-5. As they gear up for their first In-Season Tournament matchup, the Lakers will make their final stop in Phoenix on Friday.
The injury-riddled Lakers suffered their latest blow less than an hour before tip-off when Anthony Davis was ruled out because of left hip spasms he suffered late in the first half of Monday’s 108-107 loss to the Miami Heat. Davis joined a list of inactive players that included Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jaxson Hayes, and Jalen Hood-Schifino.
Ham's point is valid — the Lakers have struggled this season due to numerous injuries and absences. Since Vanderbilt, their best perimeter defender, has been out for the entire season, the team has struggled to fill the void. Four games have passed without the presence of both Rui Hachimura and Vincent. Two games have passed with both Taurean Prince and Hayes absent. Davis' absence from a game raises questions about his availability for Friday's game against Phoenix. The Lakers have had trouble finding consistency because their supporting cast keeps changing, despite their key players being healthy. Against the Rockets, they faced the challenge of having only nine active roster players, leaving them with a shortage of backups.
However, Los Angeles' poor start is not only concerning from a health standpoint. The starting lineup of Davis, James, Prince, Reaves, and Russell didn't quite meet expectations. Throughout history, the team has struggled immensely with their 3-point shooting. The Lakers frequently address the importance of defensive rebounding and transition defense in their news conferences. Yet, they continue to struggle in these areas (they currently rank 30th in the opponent's second-chance points). Sometimes, Ham has successfully pressed the correct buttons, either by rotating them or following a specific schematic. Reaves and Russell have taken turns having subpar performances. Wood struggled against the Rockets, unable to contribute offensively in the way the Lakers had expected with Davis sidelined. Given the pattern of the past three seasons and the current start of this one, the Lakers cannot take for granted that they will maintain good health.
Right from the beginning, the game swung in favor of the opposing team as the Lakers continued their trend of slow starts. Houston scored the first eight points, and the raucous cheers of the crowd filled the arena. In six out of their eight games, the Lakers have found themselves behind by double-digits in the first quarter, making for a challenging start. In the first quarter, not a single Laker player has a positive plus-minus.
With the absence of Davis, Hayes, and Vanderbilt, the Lakers' frontline was left in a vulnerable state, lacking depth and size. They started Wood at center, and used Wood, James, and Hachimura in the middle through the first three quarters, even sprinkling in undrafted two-way rookie center Colin Castleton. The outcome was as expected: Houston completely controlled the rebounding battle, crushing Los Angeles with a commanding 57-34 advantage. Particularly impressive was their dominance on the offensive glass, where they out-rebounded their opponents 14-5, resulting in a significant 24-3 lead in second-chance points. The Lakers were no match for them as they outscored them 68-42 in the paint and 20-9 in fast-break points.
Both ends of the court continue to present their most significant challenges, especially when it comes to 3-point shooting and defensive rebounding. Additionally, they consistently struggle to reach loose balls, highlighting their lack of effort, a controllable factor despite their injuries.
Despite the unfavorable circumstances, the Lakers found a positive in James only playing 27 minutes, which is his lowest of the season.
In addition to Russell's 22 points, James scored 18 points to be the only other Lakers in double figures. With a shooting percentage of 42.9, the group struggled from the 3-point line, making just 7 of their 25 attempts (28.0 percent). In addition, they faced challenges at the free-throw line, where they managed to convert only 15 of their 24 shots, a 62.5 percent accuracy.
It's too early to make hasty judgments and disregard the Lakers' potential as a top team. Following their impressive turnaround last season after the trade deadline, they rightfully earned the benefit of the doubt. But that was a run fueled by external changes, like a gust of wind igniting a flame. Depending on how the next few weeks go, these Lakers could potentially follow a similar path.
Darvin Ham must contemplate altering the starting lineup as a solution to the current issues. According to NBA.com, when Reaves, Russell, and Prince are on the court together, an average of 22.0 points per 100 possessions has outscored the Lakers.
Vanderbilt's potential comeback could address the starting lineup's defensive challenges, including point-of-attack defense, defensive rebounding, and the need for contagious energy. However, there is no definite timeline for his return. Hachimura could temporarily replace Prince, as the Lakers’ best playoff lineups often featured him next to James and Davis. A more radical option is to split up the Reaves-Russell backcourt, though that would be a tough sell for either player.
The Lakers were well aware that this was going to be a difficult beginning. They had a tough start to the season, with six out of their first nine games being on the road. They've competed against the Nuggets, Suns, Kings, Heat, and Clippers, feeling the intensity and physicality of each matchup. I expected the Lakers to have a win-loss record of around .500 during their first ten games, possibly with a slight variation.
Plus, reinforcements should be on the way soon. The Lakers are optimistic Davis could return Friday, which is still in the air, and Hayes is day-to-day.
Assessing the Lakers' potential will remain uncertain until they have more chances to build chemistry on the court. However, it's becoming increasingly clear that their floor is not as high as they thought.
Once the Lakers' team is complete or in better health, most of their issues will be resolved. So far, they haven't had the opportunity to play a game with their full projected top-nine rotation. Their depth is accurate, assuming that all players are available.
The group will have to dig deep to tackle issues like energy, effort, 3-point shooting, perimeter defense, and non-AD interior defense. In addition to that, Ham and Pelinka will have to implement more significant changes to the rotation and roster.
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Good read! I love the analysis