Hthere is a problem with Los Angeles Lakers. Several, to be honest. But the main thing is that his start to the year, demonstrated with ‘day 2’ of the Los Angeles derby (103-97 against the Clippers), is on the way to becoming a predictable catastrophe. Something sad, from what was expected, and indicative of an identity crisis in the franchise that changed basketball history. There is no course, or the one marked is not sufficient. And that they only played two games…
Because it’s one thing to win games for talent and another for team management. The talent exists and if everything follows a normal course the results should be positive. Beyond that is the question of how to get to the place that the management and the stars want to opt for: jewelry. But neither the model nor the style indicate that it can continue in this direction. And that’s where the disaster in Los Angeles is.
Lakers close to victory over Clippers
Stars without a ‘star’
Either for not being able to reconcile the transfer, or the decision of Pellinka, Buss or LeBron James himself, the Lakers bet, one more year, for their three stars: ‘the King’, Westbrook and Davis. With promises to focus their attack inside and get ‘Russ’ off the bench. On the ground, nothing worked.
With data in hand, when a player like Russell Westbrook closes the game against the Clippers at 2 points, 0/11 in field goals and 0/6 in triples there is a problem. When that player was set to leave in exchange for one more first round, the franchise follows suit. It’s symptomatic and sums up how the Lakers are not a roster put together to win the NBA. Westbrook, his shot selection and his direction condition everything. Also to his other stars.
LeBron James is still in great shape, but he can’t find any viable options beyond Davis. The attack is always similar. They start cutting to the basket, stop the game, and one of the stars in the light bulb generates itself. The result is zero efficiency, forcing impossible 3-pointers and finishing with two unfortunate records: 10/40 against the Warriors and 9/45 against the Clippers.
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A faulty model
Stars can monopolize and generate, but teams are because of the essence behind them. With the Warriors it’s the rhythm, with the Bucks critical but versatile signings – especially in defense – and with the Lakers which does not exist. A bench without reference, which awaits Schröder like the rain in May and with the Swiders, Reaves or Ryan they do not have the consistency to win. They shoot, but they are not part of the elite. There is practically no physics. And it affects the refresh minutes.
First Top-10 of the season: the formidable flight of LeBron
These shortcomings have one more nail as they have been known since pre-season. The catastrophe or the threat of catastrophe was foreseeable. There was a lack of perimeter threat, there was something missing that would give direction to the stars… And no work was done for it. Some say it was for not upset LeBron and allow Pellinka to work in two years. Others point directly to an address that is corrupted again.
