Attention all Laker fans, do not hit the panic button yet. The NBA season is a marathon, not a sprint. Pretty soon, the teams that are over-performing will start to come back to reality, and the teams under-performing will soon rise to the top where they belong. Yes, the Lakers have had an abysmal start to the season, but there is a long way to go and it’s going to be a crazy ride. So buckle in while you can.
The Problem
The lack of chemistry on this team is by far the biggest problem, but it is easily solved through experience in playing with each other for a long period of time. The Lakers have shown flashes of what they could look like with great chemistry. However, they’ve shown how ugly they can look when they’re not on the same page. For example, the first time playing the Spurs, they scored 106 points in a losing effort. The second time they played the Spurs, they scored 142 points in a losing effort also. They may have lost that game too, but it shows how dangerous this team can really be. The Lakers also knocked off the Denver Nuggets, who were undefeated at the time.
LeBron
I can’t have an article about his team without singling him out. LeBron is averaging 27.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG, and 8 APG so far this year. These are all typical LeBron stat line averages. However, there are times that he seems to struggle along with his team on the court. He’s shooting 27.3% this year from three this season, by far the worst in his career, but that is bound to rise dramatically as he settles in. He’s also struggling at the free throw line as well, but we all know that’s a given. LeBron is still shooting over 50% from the field, so this tells me that everything is still there, he just doesn’t seem completely comfortable yet.
Surprises
Probably the most pleasant surprise to Laker fans this season is the emergence of Javale McGee. Yes, Javale McGee, the guy that was on the “Shaqtin’ A Fool” week after week. Contrary to that, McGee is averaging 15.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 3.3 RPG. Holy smokes are you kidding me? The guy that tried to throw himself a lob off the backboard in the closing moments of a close game on a fast break? Yeah, that guy is actually crucial to the Lakers. Some other surprises are Kyle Kuzma averaging just under 20 PPG, and Lonzo Ball’s improved three point shooting. Lonzo, better known as Curry Ball, is shooting OVER 40% from behind the arc this year. What the actual hell is going on here? He needs to keep it up though because developing a consistent, good jump-shot is what will earn him respect and take him further in his development.
