4. Brandon Ingram, understanding his length
That other celebrated pick from the 2016 draft -- the even younger one -- is starting to figure out how useful those long toothpick arms can be on both ends of the floor.
About 42 percent of Ingram's shots have come at the rim, up from 27 percent last season. Ingram doesn't have a super-explosive first step, but he doesn't really need one. If he can nudge his defender into retreat mode, his arms are so long, he can sort of drive into the guy's chest and lay the ball in over his head.
He's taking contract in the air, hanging and coaxing in tough shots as his defender returns to the ground. His free throws are up. Ingram has good passing vision. The more damage he does off the bounce, the more passing lanes will become available to him. He walked into the NBA with good passing vision.
The only downside: The uptick in shots near the basket has come at the expense of 3-pointers. Ingram's attempts from deep are way down, and he's canning just 30 percent. Ingram eventually has to become a serviceable 3-point shooter if he's going to play alongside Lonzo Ball. But in the short term, this tradeoff is fine; some young guys improve in increments. Ingram honing one skill now doesn't mean he'll neglect the other one forever.
He is becoming a menacing defender away from the ball. When he spreads those arms, he covers a lot of territory. He's almost in two places at once. He can crash into the paint, and snap back in time to interfere with a pass to his man.
He dissuades some opponents from throwing that pass in the first place, and every half-second of hesitation is a mini-win for the defense.
The Lakers ranking a shocking fourth in points allowed per possession isn't a total fluke. Total flukes don't typically last a quarter of the season. Two of their core healthy big men -- Randle and Kyle Kuzma -- are quick enough to switch onto ball-handlers, and their guards have embraced the dirty work of jostling with big men on the flip side of those switches. Josh Hart is sturdy. Ball is a pest. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ingram are engaged help-and-recover guys on the wing. Everyone has bought in.
I'd still bet on the Lakers falling back toward 10th, and maybe a hair worse. Opponents have hit just 31 percent of their 3s, the lowest figure in the league, and they've been ice cold on wide-open triples. Teams are even bonking around the rim, and the Lakers allow a ton of shots there. (Only Milwaukee has yielded more as a percentage of all attempts, per Cleaning The Glass.) This stuff will revert.
Still: Hanging around the top 10 in defense would be a huge, unexpected success.
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21528928/zach-lowe-10-things-like-including-ben-simmons-nba
That other celebrated pick from the 2016 draft -- the even younger one -- is starting to figure out how useful those long toothpick arms can be on both ends of the floor.
About 42 percent of Ingram's shots have come at the rim, up from 27 percent last season. Ingram doesn't have a super-explosive first step, but he doesn't really need one. If he can nudge his defender into retreat mode, his arms are so long, he can sort of drive into the guy's chest and lay the ball in over his head.
He's taking contract in the air, hanging and coaxing in tough shots as his defender returns to the ground. His free throws are up. Ingram has good passing vision. The more damage he does off the bounce, the more passing lanes will become available to him. He walked into the NBA with good passing vision.
The only downside: The uptick in shots near the basket has come at the expense of 3-pointers. Ingram's attempts from deep are way down, and he's canning just 30 percent. Ingram eventually has to become a serviceable 3-point shooter if he's going to play alongside Lonzo Ball. But in the short term, this tradeoff is fine; some young guys improve in increments. Ingram honing one skill now doesn't mean he'll neglect the other one forever.
He is becoming a menacing defender away from the ball. When he spreads those arms, he covers a lot of territory. He's almost in two places at once. He can crash into the paint, and snap back in time to interfere with a pass to his man.
He dissuades some opponents from throwing that pass in the first place, and every half-second of hesitation is a mini-win for the defense.
The Lakers ranking a shocking fourth in points allowed per possession isn't a total fluke. Total flukes don't typically last a quarter of the season. Two of their core healthy big men -- Randle and Kyle Kuzma -- are quick enough to switch onto ball-handlers, and their guards have embraced the dirty work of jostling with big men on the flip side of those switches. Josh Hart is sturdy. Ball is a pest. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ingram are engaged help-and-recover guys on the wing. Everyone has bought in.
I'd still bet on the Lakers falling back toward 10th, and maybe a hair worse. Opponents have hit just 31 percent of their 3s, the lowest figure in the league, and they've been ice cold on wide-open triples. Teams are even bonking around the rim, and the Lakers allow a ton of shots there. (Only Milwaukee has yielded more as a percentage of all attempts, per Cleaning The Glass.) This stuff will revert.
Still: Hanging around the top 10 in defense would be a huge, unexpected success.
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21528928/zach-lowe-10-things-like-including-ben-simmons-nba
joeyfkncrakk
New member
I hope Luke Walton keeps Kyle Kuzma as the starting 4 over Nance when he comes back... Kuzma has earned it
joeyfkncrakk;c-10110680 said:
Prepare to be disappointed.....
https://twitter.com/shahanla/status/934530774795141120
Serious Juice Mayne
New member
Luke a bitch
joeyfkncrakk
New member
Luke is becoming a dumb smart nigga
goodlookinout
New member
I hate when the Lakers lose games like these especially when they be up but that inexperience and not having a closer always bites em in the back side.
https://twitter.com/LakerFilmRoom/status/937144397631647744joeyfkncrakk;c-10113583 said:
Serious Juice Mayne
New member
Nance shouldn’t starting
goodlookinout
New member
I witnessed this beating
goodlookinout
New member
Sidenote this chicks works with the team don't know her name but her body is crazy
joeyfkncrakk
New member
I can't stand these Lakers this year, I can't even get thru an entire game anymore last year wasn't even this bad... that Denver game was my last attempt at watching a full game, Luke is pissing me off too
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joeyfkncrakk
New member
toheeb27;c-10130871 said:
Idk bruh I don't even bother turning on my PS4 to play 2k anymore... I'm just not feeling the squad or the outlook, which is beg Lebron to come Summer 18 while Cavs are playing him record high mins in his 15th season smh.. All the years of losing and the rewards we have reaped in getting all the lotto picks and what not and we are mortgaging the future for Lebron's last 2 good years at peak level
Took all them L's for 4 years straight to build a youthful core now we are gonna pawn off JC and Randle, if we add PG and/or Bron where does Ingram and Kuzma fit.. benching Kuzma for Nance smh, Lonzo sucks outside of rebounding I think D Russ was actually a better passer and scorer than him.. im just not buying this bs, doesn't seem like a quick fix the system is broke... we have rook execs at the helm people act like that's not an issue oh and can't forget Deng is still on the roster
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joeyfkncrakk
New member
buttuh_b;c-10132137 said:
Not tryna hold onto Randle or Clarkson per se but I'm not tryna sell off young prospects for a pack of hot dogs to go for a short term pipe dream... I could understand if we were saving cap to go after Kawhi Leonard and/or Klay Thompson but what Magic is cookin smells like chitterlings and I don't like chitterlings... Some mite like them but I don't, and feel me in bro on the future u talking bout cuz Lebron is the present he isn't the future at all
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Inglewood_B
New member
joeyfkncrakk;c-10131235 said:
This the only thing that bug me. I woulda rather we kept DLo and drafted Fox.
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