Before Friday night’s game, the Lakers were a top 10 three point shooting team at 36.5%. But against the Grizzlies who contest almost all shots, the Lakers missed 13 three pointers.
Jan 2, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Wesley Johnson (11) attempts as tho defended by Memphis Grizzlies guard Courtney Lee (5) during the second quarter at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Famously, before the season began, Lakers coach Byron Scott set a goal for his team. He wanted them to shoot 15 times behind the three point line. It was a ridiculously low number- it would put them at the bottom of the league. It made you wonder if he was trapped in a 1998 time warp. The NBA game has changed. More importantly, didn’t he see what the rest of us saw? That Wesley Johnson and Ronnie Price were on this team.
Three pointers are the equalizer for marginally talented teams because points can come in bunches after long scoring droughts. Three pointers keep the game close. They force the opponent to read and recover and if you’re successful, it opens up lanes for big men. The analytics crowd love the three point shot and its efficiency. But old school coaches watch three point shot after three point shot and grit their teeth, as if they’re witnessing the seven rings of hell.
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When you consider the Lakers roster was not built to dominate at the rim, if they couldn’t make threes where would their offense come from? Perhaps, Byron threw out the 15 number arbitrarily, off the top of his head. Or, maybe he was just guessing. After two months, his 15 threes per game has devolved into a punchline to a very bad joke.
Against Memphis, the Lakers took 19 three points shots. Nick Young missed 2 out of 3. Wesley Johnson missed 3 out of 4. Wayne Ellington missed the only three he took. Ronnie Price missed both threes he attempted. Only Kobe Bryant and Jeremy Lin were efficient, making 57% of their threes. It wasn’t enough. Neither was the Lakers defense that gave up 62 second half points to a team without their second best player, Zach Randolph.
If only it was December again.
In the month of December, the Lakers shot 40% from three. They averaged 22 three pointers a game. They had four players (Nick Young, Wesley Johnson, Wayne Ellington, Ronnie Price) who averaged 40% or better from the three point line. It was the best December from the three point line for the Lakers since Kobe Bryant was a rookie.
The Lakers victories over the Spurs (50% from three), the Warriors (46% from three) and the Nuggets (56% from three) were a direct result of their willingness to move the ball and take three point shots when they were open. Since teams are refusing to back off of Kobe, trapping him with multiple defenders, the perimeter shots will continue to be available. The Lakers only concern is consistency. Can they continue to put the long ball in the hoop? They couldn’t against Memphis. And they lost.
Next: Game Grades: Ed Davis, Jeremy Lin's Big Night's Not Enough