Winners, Losers from Week 2 of Los Angeles Lakers' NBA Preseason
As the end of the Los Angeles Lakers’ second week of preseason basketball approaches, it behooves us to look at what went right and what went wrong.
It has been a bit of a bumpy ride in the land of purple and gold. There have been tears, sprains and spasms (more on that to follow), along with dead legs and some atrocious transition defense.
But that’s what training camp is all about—getting into condition and working out a myriad of kinks as players get acclimated to new coach Byron Scott’s way of doing things.
When asked Oct. 15 about some of his observations thus far during preseason, Scott answered, per a Lakers.com post-practice video:
"The good is the fact that the guys have the effort, and that they’re trying their best, which I think is great. And their attention span is right there and they want to do all the right things… The bad is the transition part. We have to do a better job as far as locating guys, picking them up, stopping the ball and communicating.
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It’s all in a week of preseason basketball.
Winner: Kobe Bryant Is Healthy
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The first winner is a very solid one. Kobe Bryant is still healthy. Find some wood and knock on it.
His recent injuries have been well-chronicled to say the least—Bryant tore his Achilles tendon at the end of the 2012-13 regular season and fractured his knee soon after he returned the following December. He appeared in just six games during the 2013-14 season.
But that’s history now—we hope. Bryant worked out all summer and came into camp fit and ready to go. He has appeared in each preseason game, and while the results may not be All-Star caliber, the larger point is that he’s actually playing.
As usual, Bryant has been brutally honest. Per Arash Markazi for ESPN Los Angeles, the veteran shooting guard described his performance after a loss to the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 12 in terms that may be unprintable.
On Thursday night, the Lakers suffered another lopsided loss, this time to the Utah Jazz. The final score was 119-86. Bryant, however, came alive with 27 points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal in 28 minutes. It’s the best he has looked so far in preseason play.
Afterward, Mike Trudell from Lakers.com tweeted, “Kobe said he wanted to treat this more like a real game individually, thus playing more minutes with regular and typical rest.”
The five-time NBA champion has been away from the game too long. There will be moments this season when he shows his greatness again, and times when he fails. But he’s back and healthy, and that counts for something.
Loser: Too Many Injuries
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By the end of the second week of training camp, the line to the trainer’s table was simply too long.
Nick Young—a Sixth Man of the Year hopeful, tore his thumb in the first week of camp. The culprit was Bryant’s body as Young tried reaching in for a steal during practice.
Per Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report, Bryant’s reasoning was sound: “My body is made of steel, that’s why.”
Young is out six to eight weeks following surgery. Also troubling is Steve Nash’s ongoing woes. After coming into training camp in reasonably healthy shape, the two-time MVP started missing games and practice with sciatica issues, followed by back spasms from carrying bags. This is not a good sign at all.
You can also add Jordan Clarkson’s strained calf, Jeremy Lin’s ankle, Ryan Kelly’s hamstring and Xavier Henry’s back spasms (following his knee and wrist surgery).
And yet one more: On Thursday night against the Jazz, training camp invite Keith Appling injured his shoulder during the fourth quarter.
An injury update from Lakers.com covers the aforementioned injuries, save Appling's, and also mentions that Lin and Kelly may be able to suit up for the next game, which will be against the Jazz, on Sunday, Oct. 19.
Winner: Jordan Hill
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The Lakers re-signed Jordan Hill to a two-year, $18 million contract over the summer, hoping he could assume the mantle of being their top big man.
Never mind that the second year is a team option; it’s still a sizable payday for a 27-year-old who has averaged 16.4 minutes off the bench during his five-year career.
But it’s what Hill brings to the game that the Lakers value—raw intensity, athleticism and a passion for rebounding and rim protection.
On Thursday night against the Jazz, Hill had his best game so far of the preseason with 12 points, 14 rebounds, two blocked shots and an assist in 28 minutes.
Hill’s crash-and-burn style can be a double-edged sword. The effort is admirable, but he has also had a number of season-limiting injuries. For week two of the preseason, however, he is a winner.
Loser: Carlos Boozer
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Carlos Boozer’s arrival in Los Angeles has been met with more than a little skepticism.
The Lakers can’t be accused of overpaying—they claimed the 32-year-old power forward from the Chicago Bulls through the amnesty waiver process, paying just $3.251 million.
For a perennial starter and veteran of many playoff battles, that’s a small price to pay if he can still be effective.
Boozer has always lacked lateral quickness and hasn’t contested shots well at the rim. Yet, his scoring ability and propensity for defensive rebounds have been a strong suit.
At this point, however, he simply doesn’t appear to have all that much game left. Throughout preseason play he has often looked either lost or uninterested, often roaming around the perimeter and caught flat-footed as action develops in the paint. He’s averaged just 3.5 rebounds through four appearances.
One can certainly make the argument that it’s only preseason and that Boozer is working his way into a new system. And granted, he had a decent offensive game on Thursday with 17 points against the Jazz, especially when on the receiving end of Bryant’s assists.
The defensive end was a mixed bag, however, with a couple blocked shots and a steal, but only three rebounds in 28 minutes.
Boozer needs to show more effort and consistency if he’s going to be a difference-maker in Los Angeles.
Through the second week of preseason basketball, the results aren't all that encouraging.
Winner: Ronnie Price
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During a week marked by injuries and less-than-stellar play, veteran point guard Ronnie Price left a positive impression.
So perhaps the shoe-tossing move against Andre Iguodala of the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night was more comic relief than anything else.
Still, Price had nine points, three assists and two boards in 33 minutes in that game.
The following day after practice, per a Lakers.com video, Scott praised the 31-year-old who’s now entering his 10th year in the league: “He’s just a tough little son of a you-know-what. He gets into people, he doesn’t back down to anybody, he’s a veteran. He’s got great experience and he’s got a motor.”
On Wednesday, Mark Medina for the Los Angeles Daily News tweeted, “Jeremy Lin ran today, but he ruled himself out for tomorrow against Utah. Looks like Ronnie Price then will start.”
With both Lin and Nash out, Price scored eight points, with two assists, two steals and a rebound. His five turnovers, however, were too high.
According to Spotrac, Price’s one-year, minimum-salary contract will become fully guaranteed on Nov. 14 if he is not waived before then.
Unless Nash suddenly discovers the fountain of youth, Price will probably survive the cut.
Loser: Loss of 3-Point Shooting
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The Lakers haven’t exactly been shooting the lights out from behind the arc during preseason, making only six of 29 tries through their first four games. Not only is their percentage horrific, they also have the fewest attempts of any team.
Per Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times, the team is adjusting to a very different offense this season, compared to Mike D’Antoni’s preference for high-volume three-point shooting. Pincus relayed Scott’s comments after practice on Tuesday:
"Our game plan is really to get to that basket. I like the fact that we only shot 10 threes. If we shoot between 10 and 15, I think that's a good mixture of getting to that basket and shooting threes.
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Last season, the Lakers took 24.8 three-point shots per game. While that’s certainly in keeping with D’Antoni’s score-more philosophy, there were five other teams that launched more often from behind the arc, with the Houston Rockets at the top with 26.6 attempts per game.
By comparison, the Memphis Grizzlies were the only team to attempt 15 or fewer three-pointers, at 14.0 per game.
The idea of attacking the paint is all well and good, but announcing a plan for the fewest outside shots in the league seems unnecessary and self-limiting.
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