As the Los Angeles Lakers get closer to the halfway mark of the 2017-2018 campaign, it is fair to argue that their struggles stem from being mentally insecure.
Few, if any, expected the Los Angeles Lakers to rise to new heights this season. At the same time, few likely thought that their record would be this abysmal.
It is not difficult to see that the Lakers have looked different over the last few weeks. While the team’s poor free throw shooting and lackadaisical starts are nothing new, a new trend has transpired. It is not a good one, to say the least.
Considering the team was in the top third of the league defensively, what is unfolding now is head-throbbing. The purple-and-gold have seemingly forgotten everything coach Luke Walton preached so diligently in the preseason. For a while now the team’s energy on that end of the floor has evaporated.
Defense is an aspect of the game that is very mental. Even when all else is failing, there is no reason as to why effort on “D” should fluctuate. “D” is an area that is constantly under one’s control.
It is understandable that major assets such as Lonzo Ball and Brook Lopez have missed time. However, the Lakers have not been playing with the same kind of urgency in recent memory. It is odd on the grounds that fans became used to seeing that urgency throughout longer chunks of time.
Part of why the Lakers have been falling may indeed be due to the injuries. Nonetheless, every team experiences this at some point during a season. It is connected with the ebb and flow of sports in general.
Additionally, every ball club endures stretches that are more brutal than others. Alas, for the California franchise, the last quartet of weeks have fit into that very category.
During this part of their schedule, it hardly ever seems like they get time off. There has been some back to backs. If that is not the case, they will get an off day between contests.
Akin to the injuries, though, this is how the NBA is. The NBA is by no means the same as collegiate basketball in this neck of the woods.
31-year-old Corey Brewer understands this better than most on the squad. According to Tania Ganguli of the Los Angeles Times, the backup forward reflected on how the schedule has affected the youngsters.
"“It’s tough when you’re a rookie; everybody hits the wall,” said Corey Brewer, who is in his 10th NBA season. “Mentally you’ve got to just figure it out. … They’re kids still in my mind. They’re kids. They’re gonna learn. We’re only gonna get better.”"
Brewer does raise a valid point. Provided most of the team is younger than him, the grind of an 82-game season is a different animal to others than it is to him.
On the other hand, one would think youth is a good thing. It begs the question: “why are guys playing like they’re so tired?”
Speculation is out there that the swirling trade talks have affected certain Lakers. In spite of that possibility, Walton recently alluded to the importance of his team holding each other accountable.
Ergo, the coach is not buying into the rumors. In lieu of that, he is focused on making sure his team develops greater discipline. That is the priority.
With that in mind, Walton’s decision to pull out his starters after the first few minutes of play on New Year’s backs up that sentiment. The team came out of the locker room without any fire, so he unhesitatingly brought in five subs.
Moments along those lines signify that this current group is mentally weak. Yes, in this case, the Lakers were playing yet another back to back after a double overtime thriller. Although that is undeniable, to come out that flat is inexcusable.
Even with this being a more extreme example, it showcases where the Lakers are at. This same example causes one to wonder whether this group is that much better than last year’s team.
Such a statement may sound quite harsh because the 2017-2018 Lakers have been stronger competitively. There is no denying that. The leap, though, if there has been one, has not been grandiose size wise.
Certainly, it is impossible to expect a young core like this to duplicate the mental strength of the late great Kobe Bryant. Bryant’s was at another level that is not of this world or universe better yet.
Luke Walton shed light on his former teammate’s mentality back in December. Via Bleacher Report’s Ken Berger, Walton said the following about the Lakers’ all-time leading scorer.
"“Kobe realized that practice should be as hard as games, if not harder,” Walton said. “Whatever drill there was, whatever scrimmage it was, he was talking trash to make everyone else step their level of play up—almost picking fights, because that brings out the edge in people. And you need that edge to win in this league.”"
Everything Walton described is reminiscent of the former Lakers legend. Very much so.
It is not to say that is reasonable to expect this Lakers group to suddenly metamorphose into something ten times greater than they are. Conversely, the Lakers’ coach is hinting at something else.
Such a quote appears to be one designed to get in the heads of this current tandem. It extends far beyond it being a mere description of Bryant’s obsessive qualities.
Rather, Walton is insinuating that this 2017-2018 cast needs to start operating in the same light. Components such as the trash talk are one thing—that is not everyone’s cup of tea. Be that as it may, it boils down to the abovementioned accountability.
A player pointing out a mistake someone else makes in practice, for instance, is not something to scowl at. Precisely the opposite. Let’s be honest… from everything the Lakers are displaying on the court, more of this seems to be in order.
With respect to mistakes, the Lakers continue to be among the league’s absolute worst. Headed into the OKC game, few teams were below them.
Turnovers are generally an indication that players are trying to do too much. When the majority of Los Angeles’ year is examined, this has definitely been one of their pitfalls.
In saying so, this has been yet another one of the Lakers’ dilemmas mentally. By virtue of the turnovers, it does not require immense effort to figure out that guys are overthinking sometimes.
Thankfully, someone in the Lakers’ organization is doing his part to lessen the nonsense. Assistant coach Brian Shaw is that man and has reportedly been frustrating some Lakers players due to his hard-nosed approach.
Shaw is among the few involved with the franchise that understands the importance of instilling this same demeanor within the 2017-2018 roster. In having played with Kobe, he discerns that taking things nice and slow is not always the way to go.
As transcribed by Harrison Faigen of Lakers Nation (courtesy of Kevin Ding), Shaw admitted that he is not making things easy for the Lakers.
"While Walton’s easygoing demeanor sets one tone for the Lakers, Shaw is the closest thing the Lakers have to a Kobe disciple—no matter Shaw’s catch-and-release conservation. Shaw grew up in the same area as Gary Payton in Oakland, played with Larry Bird on the Celtics, battled against Michael Jordan on the Bulls and then got all that time showered with what Shaw describes as “all the time—no mercy” via Bryant’s character.“I coach the same way right now,” Shaw said. “There are guys on this team right now who want to beat me up, every day, because I talk so much s—. That’s the way that I know. I refuse to relent.”"
Because the purple-and-gold remain a work in progress, having an impatient personality aboard should be viewed as a strength. Granted Shaw is not one of the players, he is doing all he can to help those he teaches. His ways may not be the most likable right now, but players may end up thanking him later on.
In the meantime, the Lakers need to continue to keep at it. Albeit January should be kinder to them than December was, they have to keep their feet planted on the accelerator. No ifs, ands, or buts.
Next: 3 Most Important Questions For Lakers In 2018
Is doing so easy? Of course, it is not going to be all the time. However, the next set of weeks will truly determine what the Lakers are made of. Whether they continue to crumble or, contrarily, start collecting some “W’s” will be a product of where their minds are at.