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Have the Los Angeles Lakers met these 5 big goals in 2021?

By Ed Schrenzel

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 15: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles against the New Orleans Pelicans during a 112-95 Lakers win at Staples Center on January 15, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 15: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles against the New Orleans Pelicans during a 112-95 Lakers win at Staples Center on January 15, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

The Los Angeles Lakers are off to a great 11-3 start, the best record in the NBA. Now that the season is nearly 20% over, how well is the team meeting five of its goals?

1. Diversify the Los Angeles Lakers’ offense

One of GM Rob Pelinka’s biggest goals in the off-season was to decrease the team’s offensive dependence on their two superstars, LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Last year Davis and James combined to score 45% of the team’s points in the regular season. In the playoffs, the percentage rose to 49%. But so far this season, the duo is scoring just 40%.

Part of the reason concerns the unprecedented short break following the championship victory in October. Understandably both LeBron and AD chose to ease into the new season. They are both playing just under 32 minutes per game. That’s the fewest minutes of James’ career and the lowest AD has played since his rookie season.

After a slow start, LeBron has picked up his pace while refusing to give in to Father Time. At age 36, he is averaging 24 points, 7.7 assists and 8.1 rebounds. He remains the best player on the team at setting up the offense even though he is sharing the point guard duties that he predominantly handled last season.

Davis is taking a bit longer to round into playing shape. He has had a few excellent games but more below-average ones than we are accustomed to seeing. Overall he is averaging 21.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks (down from 26.7/9.3/2.3 last season). However, he is shooting a career-high 54.5%, although his free throw percentage has dropped to 75% from last year’s 85%.

There is every reason to expect that AD will raise the level of his game as the season progresses. Since the team is winning anyway, there is no great rush.

Meanwhile, last season only one other player, Kyle Kuzma, averaged double-figure points. This year a total of six players are scoring more than 10 points a game: James, Davis, Kuzma (10.6 PPG), Dennis Schroder (14.1), Montrezl Harrell (13.8) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (10.7).

It is clear that the Lakers have indeed diversified their offense.

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