Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Lakers Not Exactly Rolling Along as Playoffs Approach
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 5 years ago on
August 7, 2020

Share

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — This is the land of in-between for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Games right now matter, in the sense that only three contests are left to build momentum for the postseason. And games right now don’t matter, in the sense that the Lakers basically knew five months ago that they would be the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

“This is a totally different season, a totally different drastic situation for all of us, including myself.” — LeBron James  

They lost again Thursday night, with LeBron James getting the night off in a defeat to the Houston Rockets. The Lakers are 2-3 so far in the bubble, and their offensive numbers are brutal.

There are 22 teams here at the NBA restart at Walt Disney World. Of those 22, the Lakers — the team with the second-best record in the NBA — rank last in field goal percentage (.408), last in 3-point percentage (.234), last in points per game (98.8) and next-to-last in free throw percentage (.729).

“This is a totally different season, a totally different drastic situation for all of us, including myself,” James said this week.

If they win Game 1 of the playoffs in about a week and a half, none of this will matter. If they win the NBA title in a couple months, this will be long forgotten. But right now, the Lakers sure don’t seem like a team that’s going to be rolling into the postseason.

“I do believe in percentages,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “I do believe in guys trusting the work that they put in. And there’s always a reversion to the mean. The law of averages plays out and I’m OK with getting all these misses out of the way right now.”

Having More Than Four Months off Isn’t Ideal

James didn’t play against Houston because of what the Lakers described as a sore groin muscle. There have been plenty of instances over the years where James has taken games off toward the end of the regular season once his team’s playoff seed was certain.

But this falls under what he was saying when he called this “a totally different season,” or as the NBA calls games at this restart, a Whole New Game. Having more than four months off isn’t ideal for anyone, including James, who is a creature of habit and rhythm.

And while he’s had flashes of his typical MVP-caliber self at Disney, they haven’t been constant. He came into the restart averaging 25.7 points, 10.6 assists and 7.9 rebounds on 50% shooting from the field, 35% from 3-point range.

In his four games at Disney, James is averaging 19.3 points, 10 rebounds and 6.3 assists on 42% shooting, 27% from 3-point range. For just about anyone else on the planet, those are fine numbers. For James, it shows his best form isn’t there yet.

“This is a totally different situation than any other situation that I’ve been in in my career, so I have zero experience with having the No. 1 seed inside of a bubble during seeding games playing in August,” James said. “So, this is all a learning experience for all of us and we’re going to take it day-by-day and continue to work on our habits, either on the floor, during the film session, when we’re able to get on the floor as well.”

They Don’t Seem Panicked, Because Nothing Counts Yet

He’s right: the habits need some work.

The Lakers also have the two worst field-goal percentage games in the bubble through Thursday, as well as the two worst 3-point shooting games.

The Lakers have three of the four lowest-scoring games played in the bubble through Thursday: They had 97 against the Rockets, 92 against Toronto on Aug. 1 and 86 against Oklahoma City on Wednesday. The only other team with a point total like that so far in the restart is Utah, which had 94 against the Thunder on Aug. 1.

The Lakers also have the two worst field-goal percentage games in the bubble through Thursday, as well as the two worst 3-point shooting games.

They don’t seem panicked, because nothing counts yet. And there is a silver lining ahead: The Lakers play their last seeding game on Aug. 13, which could be as many as five days before their playoff opener because of the West play-in series that now seems all-but assured.

In other words, the Lakers will have time to start looking like themselves again.

“Obviously, it is a situation for us that we’re not shooting the ball well,” Lakers wing Kyle Kuzma said. “But we also know we have proven commodities.”

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Chargers in Need of Help at Wide Receiver and Tight End in the NFL Draft

DON'T MISS

Magic Happens When Kids and Adults Learn to Swim. Tragedy Can Strike if They Don’t.

DON'T MISS

Big Fresno Fair Board Will Be Led by an American Sikh for 1st Time

DON'T MISS

AI ‘Friend’ for Public School Students Falls Flat

DON'T MISS

Is a ‘Friend-Apist’ What We Really Want From Therapy?

DON'T MISS

Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Report US Strikes in the Capital and a Coastal City

DON'T MISS

Progressive Icon and Ex-US Rep. Barbara Lee Wins Race for Mayor of Oakland

DON'T MISS

Humanoid Robots Run a Chinese Half-Marathon Alongside Human Competitors

DON'T MISS

Bakersfield Push to Restore Kern River Seeks to Revitalize City

DON'T MISS

Anti-Trump Protesters Turn Out to Rallies Across Country

UP NEXT

Is a ‘Friend-Apist’ What We Really Want From Therapy?

UP NEXT

Universal Studios Fan Fest 2025 to Feature Immersive D&D Attraction and More

UP NEXT

Greg Cronin Fired as Coach of Anaheim Ducks After 2 Seasons

UP NEXT

NBA Playoff Guide: Who Plays When, How to Watch, What the Odds Are

UP NEXT

Americans Haven’t Found a Satisfying Alternative to Religion

UP NEXT

LA Rams Can Bolster a Contending Roster With Another Strong Showing in NFL Draft

UP NEXT

49ers Look to Strengthen Depleted Defense in NFL Draft

UP NEXT

Thousands of Pilgrims Trek Through New Mexico Desert to Historic Adobe Church for Good Friday

UP NEXT

Rams’ Draft Headquarters to Be at LAFD Air Base to Honor First Responders to Wildfires

UP NEXT

Free Skateboard Event Brings Pro Legends, Family Fun to Fresno on Saturday

AI ‘Friend’ for Public School Students Falls Flat

19 hours ago

Is a ‘Friend-Apist’ What We Really Want From Therapy?

20 hours ago

Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Report US Strikes in the Capital and a Coastal City

2 days ago

Progressive Icon and Ex-US Rep. Barbara Lee Wins Race for Mayor of Oakland

2 days ago

Humanoid Robots Run a Chinese Half-Marathon Alongside Human Competitors

2 days ago

Bakersfield Push to Restore Kern River Seeks to Revitalize City

2 days ago

Anti-Trump Protesters Turn Out to Rallies Across Country

2 days ago

Universal Studios Fan Fest 2025 to Feature Immersive D&D Attraction and More

2 days ago

Thousands Gather in London for Trans Rights Following UK Ruling Over Definition of Woman

2 days ago

250 Years After America Went to War for Independence, a Divided Nation Battles Over Its Legacy

2 days ago

Chargers in Need of Help at Wide Receiver and Tight End in the NFL Draft

EL SEGUNDO — In their first season together, Los Angeles Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz and coach Jim Harbaugh rebuilt the team enough ...

19 hours ago

19 hours ago

Chargers in Need of Help at Wide Receiver and Tight End in the NFL Draft

19 hours ago

Magic Happens When Kids and Adults Learn to Swim. Tragedy Can Strike if They Don’t.

19 hours ago

Big Fresno Fair Board Will Be Led by an American Sikh for 1st Time

19 hours ago

AI ‘Friend’ for Public School Students Falls Flat

20 hours ago

Is a ‘Friend-Apist’ What We Really Want From Therapy?

2 days ago

Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Report US Strikes in the Capital and a Coastal City

2 days ago

Progressive Icon and Ex-US Rep. Barbara Lee Wins Race for Mayor of Oakland

2 days ago

Humanoid Robots Run a Chinese Half-Marathon Alongside Human Competitors

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend