Los Angeles Lakers: 4 Lessons from loss to Utah Jazz
By Ronald Agers
Brandon Ingram’s interesting story…Two games in one
Brandon Ingram is the player that the Lakers organization planned to be the number two guy behind LeBron James. I mean it is really easy to see why.
https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1083931694766280704
Ingram is overflowing with potential. For the last two weeks, plays like the one above is what Brandon has done to every Lakers opponent. Ingram gets criticized for being so skinny. What gets lost is how long his legs are. His strides get him to the basket in basically two steps. By the time the defense knows what is going on, he’s already dunked the ball and they’re taking the ball out. His mid-range game is unstoppable because of the 7’4 wingspan he has.
What makes me a fan is that he realizes he’s not a 3 point shooter so he doesn’t stand in the corner and miss shot after shot like a ton of other non shooters in the NBA. He plays his own game and stays within his limits.
However its games like this one that keeps his critics in business.
If you look at the box score and did not watch the game, you would think that Ingram had a good game. He had 15 points on 6-11 shooting. Add 5 rebounds and even a 3 point shot, you’d go…
“Brandon needed some help!”
In all actuality, after halftime, Ingram didn’t help the Lakers.
Brandon Ingram had 13 points at halftime on 5-9 shooting. That means he only shot the ball two times in the entire second half. This in some ways is worse than Kuzma’s effort.
Why?
Ingram was not looking for his offense. Ingram struggles big time running the halfcourt offense. The ball movement that was all over Staples Center did not travel to Utah. The ball stopper? Brandon Ingram.
Kyle Kuzma is going to get heat for gunning in this game. But if you have a player in Ball who is a reluctant shooter and Ingram, who disappeared from the offense…
Did Kuz have a choice?