Lakers News: Latest on Los Angeles' Struggles, Nick Young's Return and More
It's been an ugly start to the 2014-15 season for the Los Angeles Lakers. The team is reeling with a dismal 1-7 record, and things don't appear to be getting any easier with a road trip to San Antonio next on the slate. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?
The answer to that question depends on how you look at the team's situation. No, the Lakers aren't playing good basketball right now; however, this team is dealing with an abundance of injuries and is nowhere near full strength. There are many different feelings about this team right now, and, with that, recent news surrounding the team is mixed.
Here's a look at the latest happenings surrounding the Lakers organization.
Ongoing Struggles
There are a variety of thoughts as to why the Lakers aren't performing well this season. Some are as simple as the team couldn't withstand the injuries and others even allude to tanking. Perhaps the on-court product isn't good because the team has no chemistry.
After all, we are looking at a patchwork squad in Los Angeles this season. The players haven't had significant time to jell, and they aren't playing to their expectations as a result. Even LeBron James' return to Cleveland this season got off to a rocky start because of all the new faces.
Lakers head coach Byron Scott appears to think one specific area of the team needs to be fixed going forward, according to an interview with Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News: "We just did a terrible job defensively. That was the worst defense we played preseason and all the way up to this particular point."
The coach was referring to the team's most recent contest against the New Orleans Pelicans and also made a note of the Lakers allowing a whopping 60 points in the paint.
While that's one theory—a pretty accurate one, at that—others have been pointing fingers at Kobe Bryant. The guard is shooting a career-low 38.8 percent from the floor this season and recently set a new record for most shots missed by a player in NBA history.
Bryant was asked about the record, and he had this to say, via Medina:
Let's put it this way. Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre holds the record for most career interceptions. However, he's also ranked second in passing touchdowns, first in passing yards and is the winningest quarterback in NFL history. He won't be held out of the Hall of Fame for throwing some picks. Bryant should be treated in a similar fashion.
Los Angeles' struggles aren't related to Bryant's shooting. This team needs to play better defense and needs players back and healthy before it will begin to win games. Too much is being asked of Bryant through eight games, and his slide in shooting percentage is a direct result.
Nick Young Latest
There's a new—and favorable—update regarding Nick Young that surfaced Wednesday. According to Bill Oram of the Orange County Register, the forward could be back in action as soon as next week:
Young originally suffered a thumb injury while guarding Bryant before the season began. He required surgery and was forced to wear a hard cast on his shooting hand while recovering. More recently, he switched to a soft cast, and, taking Oram's tweet into consideration, he's been progressing ever since.
Last season, Young was one of the Lakers' most valuable players. He provided a great spark off the bench, averaging 17.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. One thing Los Angeles must avoid is rushing the forward back too soon. Reaggravating his injured thumb could be devastating to both Young and the Lakers.
Ronnie Price Latest
Price will be paying the price for what appeared to be a rather blatant shot to the face of Pelicans shooting guard Austin Rivers. While Price was already ejected for the incident, he'll be missing some more time in the near future, according to a tweet from Medina:
Just in case you missed the foul, here's a look back at why Price will be suspended:
The Lakers are already incredibly thin in the backcourt, and this comes at a terrible time, as Los Angeles will be undergoing a difficult road trip. Obviously, the team will continue to utilize Jeremy Lin alongside Bryant; however, with Price inactive for a game, look for rookie Jordan Clarkson to see some extra time on the court as well.
Clarkson played well in an increased role against the Pelicans. He played for 14 minutes, shooting 3-of-4 from the floor and bucketing two free throws for eight points. We may be seeing more of the Missouri product in the very near future.
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