Getty Anthony Davis & LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Through four games, it’s surprising just how inconsistent the Los Angeles Lakers have looked. They beat two Western Conference contenders in the Clippers and Utah Jazz but got fleeced by the Toronto Raptors and Oklahoma City Thunder. The Lakers already have the top seed in the West locked up so these games don’t matter much but it could be cause for concern.
The team’s three-point shooting and perimeter defense have been atrocious. It’s going to be a serious problem for the team come playoff time if they can’t figure it out. LeBron James was asked about the team’s offensive struggles and didn’t really give much clarity with his answer.
“It’s just some things that you can’t control that’s here, that I really don’t want to talk about, that’s off the floor,” James, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
There haven’t been any rumors of drama between the team and they’ve been a tight-knit group all season. LeBron was pressed on what he meant by that answer and clarified a bit.
“This is a totally different situation than any other situation that I’ve been in in my career, so I have zero experience with having the number one seed inside of a bubble during seeding games playing in August,” James said. “This is all a learning experience for all of us and we’re going to take it day-by-day and continue to work on our habits, either on the floor, during the film session, when we’re able to get on the floor as well. But this is a totally different season, a totally different drastic situation for all of us, including myself.”
It appears bubble life might not be sitting well with every player. The Lakers are barely getting started and could feasibly be in the bubble for two more months. This will need to be a situation to watch for every team across the league.
here’s that quote from LeBron James making it’s way around after Tania Ganguli of the LA Times asked him a question regarding the unique situation in Orlando video courtesy of the @ESPNNBA:
Anthony Davis Chimes In
In the Lakers’ two wins, Anthony Davis had big offensive games. In their two losses, the big man disappeared. They need him to be more consistent if they’re going to win. While LeBron is the team’s leader, Davis might be the key to the Lakers winning another championship.
The All-Star also talked about the team’s struggles on offense.
“We’re getting wide-open shots,” Davis said after Wednesday’s game.
“I think we’re fine,” Davis said. “I don’t think anything is eye-opening, something that we need to be afraid of. The offense is going to come around.”
This is an unprecedented situation and the Lakers are trying to integrate a few new players into the lineup. Growing pains are to be expected but the playoffs aren’t far away. The team needs to start figuring out how to shake off the rust quickly.
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What’s Wrong With Danny Green?
Danny Green may not be one of the Lakers’ top two players but he’s a key starter for the team. Unfortunately, he’s been very bad since the season rebooted. He’s usually a solid three-point shooter but he’s made just four out of 20 in the last four games.
He’s usually a solid contributor but he needs to figure things out. If he can’t, the Lakers are going to be in serious trouble.
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LeBron James Gets Cryptic When Talking About Lakers’ Offensive Struggles