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5 Reasons why Dennis Schröder is a great fit on the Los Angeles Lakers

By Jonathan Kiernan

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - DECEMBER 09: Dennis Schroder #17 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on during a game against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena on December 9, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - DECEMBER 09: Dennis Schroder #17 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on during a game against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena on December 9, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images)
(Photo by Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images) /

Driving to the rim

The Los Angeles Lakers were excellent at a great number of things last season that led them to become the eventual NBA champions in a season that fans of the purple and gold will never forget.

The Lakers’ defense was historically good.

In LeBron James and Anthony Davis the Lakers had the 1st two players since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal to average over 25PPG during the regular season.

They had LeBron James who came 2nd in MVP voting. They had Anthony Davis who finished 2nd in DPOY voting (Arguably should have won). And they had LeBron James lead the league in assists.

Some fantastic accomplishments mixed in there.

One thing the Lakers were terrible at and actually were the worst team in the league at was driving to the rim.

The Lakers were a league’s worst 36.6 drives to the rim per game over the course of the 2019-20 season. With a season of so many highs, that stat is an unquestionable low.

When finishing the season, you can bet that the front office, the coaching staff, and the players would be looking back at tape from the season and finding ways to improve.

Driving to the rim is definitely an area where the Los Angeles Lakers need to improve significantly.

While Dennis Schröder isn’t the elite of the elite when it comes to drives to the rim, he is still a top 50 player in the league in this stat.  The only other player on the Lakers roster in the top 50 is LeBron James

Schröder had 11.7 drives to the rim for the Oklahoma City Thunder last season. His ability to drive to the rim will be welcomed by the purple and gold.

Adding Schröder to the mix could turn the Lakers from one of the worst teams in the entire league when it comes to driving to the rim to potentially a top 10 team in this statistic

Driving to the rim is a remarkably important trait that the Los Angeles Lakers underutilized last season.

Having players capable of attacking the rim and having the defense collapse in on itself is essential to getting open looks around the 3-point line.

LeBron James finished 22nd in the league in drives to the rim. James’ ability to collapse defenses and make the right pass out of the post led to countless easy baskets for open teammates.

Adding Schröder adds another player who can do the exact same thing at a close to elite rate.

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