Los Angeles Lakers eclipse Suns, move into fifth in Western Conference

3. Brandon Ingram has game! LEAVE HIM ALONE TOO!

It took a minute to figure it out, but I know now what the issues were with Brandon Ingram and why he is criticized…

Brandon Ingram is not going to be a standstill shooter!

The good news? He has made up his mind that he is going to play his game. Don’t like it? TOUGH! Brandon Ingram has shown his basketball I.Q. in ways that should be celebrated.

One of the Phoenix announcers mentioned the struggles of their own young player, Josh Jackson. Jackson got caught up in the hype of changing his game to fit the way his peers were playing and lost his identity. Early in the season, Ingram may have fallen into the same trap of just firing up 3-point shots and not sticking to what made them successful in the first place.

Ingram’s game is basically getting to his spots in various areas around the paint. He then uses his wingspan to provide disadvantages.

Watch here.

Look at the strong drive here attacking the defense. He misses but he uses his wingspan and athletic ability to tap the ball back in.

Plus he’s also a playmaker.

https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1069340243453652992

He teaches Devin Booker that he may want to have his hands up. In this offensive set, Josh Hart sets the pick on Ayton and JaVale McGee goes backdoor for the alley-oop jam!

Remember this positionless basketball scheme the Lakers were selling to everyone? There is a method to the madness. Letting Ingram play to his strengths is important if the Lakers want to improve.

The Golden State Warriors never seem to bother Shaun Livingston and his mid-range game because it is effective for the spacing to the Splash Brothers and Kevin Durant.

There is a lot of real estate not being used in the NBA because everyone is 3-point shot happy. Brandon Ingram is smart enough to exploit it.