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Los Angeles Lakers: Avery Bradley is out for Orlando, J.R. Smith in?

By Ronald Agers

SHENZHEN, CHINA - OCTOBER 12: Avery Bradley #11 and Dwight Howard #39 of the Los Angeles Lakers in action during the match against the Brooklyn Nets during a preseason game as part of 2019 NBA Global Games China at Shenzhen Universiade Center on October 12, 2019 in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. (Photo by Zhong Zhi/Getty Images)
SHENZHEN, CHINA - OCTOBER 12: Avery Bradley #11 and Dwight Howard #39 of the Los Angeles Lakers in action during the match against the Brooklyn Nets during a preseason game as part of 2019 NBA Global Games China at Shenzhen Universiade Center on October 12, 2019 in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. (Photo by Zhong Zhi/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

We shall soon find out Avery Bradley’s importance to the Los Angeles Lakers

Lake Show Life prides itself on having some of the best debates in the comment section. The debates are sometimes heated but commenters (Most of them!) come with valuable information to keep the website running. One of the biggest debates surrounded Avery Bradley.

Was he going to make a major difference in the playoffs? Could he bring his jumper to the postseason? Based on what he did against the Los Angeles Clippers a few days before the NBA went into hiatus, it looked like a resounding yes.

Around the time the Lakers were starting to really gel during the team’s most important stretch of the season (Win over Bucks then Clippers two days later!) Bradley emerged as the Lakers’ best perimeter defender. At the start of games, he set a defensive tone with his ball pressure and physicality at the point of attack in a variety of ways.

  • Getting into the space of opposing guards disrupting the offense draining the shot clock.
  • Wearing down lead guards, efficiently taking away first options in a team’s sets.
  • He does it with an attitude that comes with the style of play he brings to the floor and it’s one that the rest of this team has fed on all season.

All of the listed examples are shown in this one play alone against the Clippers in back to back defensive plays.

https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1236743777466724352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1236743777466724352&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Flakeshowlife.com%2F2020%2F03%2F09%2Flos-angeles-lakers-4-lessons-win-la-clippers%2F

The first defensive sequence:

Avery fights through the screen by Ivica Zubac to pressure Patrick Beverley from the backside while JaVale McGee shows. Zubac’s weak cut to the basket leaves Beverley no choice but to try a cross-court pass to Marcus Morris. Anthony Davis jumps the lane and dunks on the other end.

The second defensive sequence:

You see Avery Bradley increase the on-ball pressure on Beverley. Bradley strips him clean at half court and beats him to the rim for a layup. 

What most may not remember about this play:

Avery Bradley was called for a technical foul for staring Beverley down. This is the attitude that the Lakers need defensively in the backcourt. This was a very controversial call considering the reputation that Beverley has. Bradley said nothing. This play alone started a spirited debate between Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy and Steve Javie about consistency with the officials.

Offensively Bradley had his ups and downs with his jump shot but that coincided with the hairline fracture of his leg early in the season against the San Antonio Spurs.

Bradley is also a player who knows how to space and clear the floor by drawing defenders with him by smartly slashing off the ball into the gaps of the defense. This opens up the lane for LeBron James to cut to the basket, which is an overlooked benefit to the overall flow and shape of the Lakers offense.

He will be missed, on both sides of the ball.

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