Lakers’ fatal flaw was on full display in preseason loss to Timberwolves
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the second time in the preseason and fell to 1-4 as a result. While the wins and losses don’t ultimately matter in the preseason, what we take away from each game does.
There have been some positives on the individual level but there have been some negatives during the preseason that has to strike fear in any previously optimistic Lakers fans. It has not been exclusive to on-the-court things as well, as Russell Westbrook turned heads with some pretty bad clips from the team’s loss to Minnesota.
Westbrook may have stolen the spotlight from the preseason game but the fatal flaw that this Lakers team has was still on full display. Fans may not want to address it, but this fatal flaw is going to be one of the reasons why the team will ultimately disappoint.
The Lakers’ horrendous three-point shooting was on full display.
Los Angeles has already been woeful from beyond the arc in the preseason and it somehow only got worse against the Timberwolves, who aren’t necessarily a team that is known for its perimeter defense.
Against Minnesota, the Lakers shot 25.6% from beyond the arc, making just 10 of 39 attempts. It wasn’t just the role players struggling, either, as key players on the Lakers’ roster struggled to shoot in this game.
Patrick Beverley, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Lonnie Walker IV, Kendrick Nunn and Dennis Schroder went a combined 2-19 (10.5%) from beyond the arc in this game. LeBron James was the one player that shot okay from the land of three-point as he made two of his four attempts.
Fueling this horrible night from beyond the arc was a pretty sad stretch for the Lakers that showed just how bad it can get when it is not clicking. The Lakers missed 16 consecutive three-point attempts in this game. Sixteen.
With Los Angeles not being a great defensive team (their points per game allowed in the preseason is mirroring what it was last season), they have to be able to shoot three-pointers. And if they are shooting this poorly then they are not going to win very many basketball games, plain and simple.
The worst part is that fans cannot really expect it to get much better. While the team can shoot better than it did on Wednesday, and will certainly have moments, Los Angeles simply does not have the resources to turn it around. This is Rob Pelinka’s doing.