If it’s any consolation, the Los Angeles Lakers had one win to show for this time in their preseason. The last year saw them lose all of their six practice games — an inkling of what was to come when the regular season started. The end result: Los Angeles finished 33-49 and failed to make the playoffs.
- LeBron James And Anthony Davis Are Still Their Best Shot
- The Russell Westbrook Quandary: Starter Or Off The Bench?
- Time To Go Small?
- What Does The Bench Look Like?
- Will The Team Use Anthony Davis At 5?
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The offseason saw changes rung in. It started with Frank Vogel being replaced by another coach who emphasizes defense. Darvin Ham, the former Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach will now man the five from the sidelines. The roster saw some upgrades with the Lakers doing away with the veterans and replacing them with relatively young blood.
All that said, their preseason wasn’t entirely different from what it was last year, save for that one win against the Golden State Warriors. The remaining five games were losses — which will very well be listed as another warning gong should the season go south for the second time in a row.
There were positives and enough flaws, and the general hope is that the Lakers will rectify them over the course of the season. And on that note, we look at some of the key takeaways from Los Angeles’ learning curve-filled preseason.
LeBron James And Anthony Davis Are Still Their Best Shot
Whether the goal this time is to make a run for the 18th title or go to the playoffs, the Lakers’ preseason hinted that their star duo of James and Davis is still their best shot. On their day, they can win games single-handedly, but historically, the last couple of seasons have seen the duo endure injuries derailing the unit’s run.
In the six games played so far, James (now in his 20th season) had 20+ points in two of the four skirmishes. His health will remain pivotal if the team is to make the postseason and not as the eighth seed. The same applies to Davis, whose 3-point shot looks improved and his midrange game seems to have a comeback.
The big man played only 40 of the Lakers’ games last year and in a group that included Russell Westbrook, the trio shared the floor for just 21 games.
Whether the think-tank looks at giving their two stars some break in the middle will be one of the questions heading into the regular season, provided they have a substantial amount of wins under their belt. Ideally, the goal for Davis at least will be to play all the games this time.
The Russell Westbrook Quandary: Starter Or Off The Bench?
For all the negative spotlight that has surrounded Russell Westbrook since the time he joined Los Angeles, the explosive guard showed a fair bit of verve this time around. He provided glimpses from the mixtapes on YouTube, especially on the offense.
He’s still a WIP when it comes to embracing a defense philosophy, and in all fairness, he does look like he’s making an honest attempt. When looking at a possession-by-possession basis, there have been instances when he loses his man, and that can cost them in high-pressure scenarios.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham on Russell Westbrook coming off the bench tonight: “It’s not a demotion; it’s a realignment.”
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) October 15, 2022
Now for the head scratch: Will he come off the bench as he did in the final preseason game against the Sacramento Kings?
As a starter, he’s still a clunky fit alongside James and Davis, but leading a second unit looks like a more ideal route to take.
If he does improve on his offense, especially from downtown, there’s every chance that the “exploratory move” as Ham dubbed it, would work in Westbrook’s favor. Plus, there’s that hamstring injury that he’s dealing with and will have an impact.
Time To Go Small?
The small-ball identity took shape against the Phoenix Suns and, safe to say, the move worked. They led in the three-quarters before caving in the fourth.
What the lineup did was prove that when there was just one big man, the lineup with Westbrook in the mix would do well.
The spacing comes into play and there’s less room for clogging up. This was a notable adjustment that the Lakers made and will likely employ against specific teams over the course of the season.
What Does The Bench Look Like?
In one word, promising. But they’re far away when it comes to closing out games. Patrick Beverley and Kendrick Nunn are clearly upgrades, and the latter may have just found a starting spot as well. Austin Reaves’ versatility makes him an asset. The addition of Dennis Schroder adds more stability in the non-James and Davis minutes.
Kendrick Nunn 🤝 Damian Jones
(live on NBA TV) pic.twitter.com/CUCeQ0QDFA
— NBA (@NBA) October 6, 2022
Troy Brown Jr, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Lonnie Walker IV, Max Christie, and Cole Swider come with the capability, but their temperament and learning will be tested when they’re on the floor.
Far too many times last season, the Lakers lost games in the third quarter, and this bench, while not exactly the kind they had in the 2019-20 season, provides a sense of comfort compared to what they had last season. How they hold their own remains to be seen because there were only flashes of what they could do in the preseason.
Will The Team Use Anthony Davis At 5?
Technically, they should. The result was out there to see when he played Center against the Warriors. Last year, it was reported that he would play center to better accommodate Westbrook, but that didn’t materialize as DeAndre Jordan took the spot.
Damian Jones and Thomas Bryant are the options, but if it comes down to it, the Lakers are better off playing Davis at the 5, even though he’s put out what he really wants to do. But with the “it’s for the team” philosophy that he and Westbrook have reportedly embraced, the former at the center just might be what the team needs to win games.
In all, the preseason wins or losses don’t necessarily paint the big picture, and that argument holds good if the team learns from the mistakes.
For Los Angeles, the litmus test begins when they take on the Warriors in their first game on Opening Night (October 18). How they fare will surely set the tone for the remainder of the season.
