Jodie Meeks had a career year on a depressing team and cashed in. Over the summer, he inked a three year deal with the Detroit Pistons for $19 million dollars. In doing so, he left a crater like hole in the Lakers offense as he bolted out of town. All of a sudden the roster was missing a three point shooter who knew how to get open on the wing. Blame the Lakers finances for titling the deck the wrong way and making it impossible to match the Pistons offer. All year long Jodie had been the Lakers hardest worker, a low maintenance, committed, addicted-to-preparation player who hated every one of the Lakers 55 losses. But, there was nothing the Lakers could do except stand by silently and watch Jodie Meeks go out the door.
Apr 4, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Jodie Meeks (20) reacts after a 3-point basket against the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Overlooked in the Mike D’antoni atrocity was how efficient Jodie Meeks was in 2013-14. He shot 40% from three. He made 46% of his field goal attempts. He averaged 2.5 rebounds and nearly 2 steals a game as he guarded more athletic players. Meeks scored nearly 16 points a game and had that near perfect performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder, putting in 42 points. At the beginning of the season Jodie Meeks set out to prove a point and by July he was rewarded for his accuracy and efficiency and ability to drain open jumpers.
If basketball were math, one of its empirical arguments would be you can’t have too many shooters. Peculiarly, the Lakers find themselves on an island. They may not have enough shooters. Their last pre-season game against the Golden State Warriors pointed to this sort of poverty. The Lakers took 9 three point shots and made only 1.
The Lakers wing players ebb and flow. The best Wesley Johnson has shot in his career from three was 37%. Johnson’s career has been highlighted by his struggles with confidence and consistency and hitting shots when they matter. Nick Young is the most skilled three point shooter the Lakers have but he is out for another 6 weeks. Steve Nash is one of the all-time great NBA shooters but his 20-24 minutes a game will impact his production. Besides, long term planning for a 40-year old is like walking up a hill with rocks on your back; eventually it hurts.
Jeremy Lin is proven at shot making and hitting clutch threes when it counts. It has been a large part of his game these past two years. Too many three point shots will wear upon Kobe Bryant; no solution there. Jordan Clarkson is a rookie and is shooting like one. He’s made 28% of his triples.
Three seasons ago, Xavier Henry shot 41% from three when he played for the New Orleans Hornets. He has never been able to match that high level of accuracy and is coming off of multiple injuries but he clearly has a role to fill as a perimeter player. Ryan Kelly, in his rookie year, was a decent three point shooter but not particularly great. It was something he devoted himself to in the off season. His improvement in that particular area will spread the floor and improve how the Lakers attack other teams.
Not one Jodie Meeks like efficiency in the bunch.
Jun 18, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Boris Diaw (middle) waves to the crowd during NBA championship celebrations at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
But Byron Scott isn’t worried about it. He has little interest in an offense based on three point shooting. Last year the Lakers took 25 three’s a game and look what happened with all of those long rebounds. Byron wants to limit three point shots to the 10-15 range. However, the facts remain: the NBA is a three point shooting league. Of the 16 teams that qualified for the playoffs last year, 12 teams averaged 20+ three point shots a game. The NBA Champions, San Antonio Spurs, took 21 three point shots. The runner-up, Miami Heat, took 22 three point shots. If Golden State is any indication, the Lakers are going to struggle guarding the perimeter. The Warriors made 57% of their three point shots against the Lakers on Thursday night.
The damage of an interior team is what Byron Scott is working towards. Aggressive on the inside and in the paint, Kobe Bryant will be the central figure, either with his own offense or creating for others off of double teams. The reward in this is a slower pace than last year’s manic scoring binges but one that reaps more rebounds, multiple trips to the line and control of transition and fast break attempts.
But when Kobe is guarded on the wing and he tosses to the left of him, who is there? Who makes the open shot?
If it sounds familiar, well, it is. In 2010, in game 7, with Ray Allen guarding him on the perimeter, Kobe surveyed the landscape and passed the ball to an open Metta World Peace. It was a three point shot. 68 seconds were left in the game and the Lakers were up by three. Metta drained the three, as he was left open by Boston. It secured for the Lakers their 16th NBA Championship and Kobe Bryant’s legacy. Noteworthy, in that game the Lakers took 20 three point shots. Kobe missed 6. Lamar Odom missed 3. Metta World Peace missed 5. Until he made one, which put the game out of reach.
There is no such thing as too many shooters.