You may have read my 3 reasons to be Pessimistic about the Lakers chances of getting out of the 1st round. If you haven’t and you are a Lakers fan, a sports better, or an NBA fan in general, you should. But now let me tell you some reasons to be Optimistic about the Lakers chances of advancing in the playoffs.
1.Coaching. Previously, I’ve written;
“….I’m not sure Darvin Ham is the right guy to coach a Lebron led team to a championship. Maybe he’s saving his best coaching until after the all star break. Maybe he’s learning what the team does best and letting them make their mistakes before really putting his foot down and demanding the team to play like he wants. I want to see it. So far, I haven’t seen enough from him or the team…”
But that was then. Darvin Ham has done a fine job of navigating this team this year. He started this season with a roster that wasn’t exactly fit to be a playoff team. Even though they were in the 12th and 13th spot for much of the season, he was able to help the team stay in shouting distance of the playoffs anyway. Then, after the trade deadline that saw the addition of 4 new rotation players (Rui Hachimura, DeAngelo Russell, Beasley and Jared Vanderbilt), he had the pieces he needed to form the team he wanted. With more tools in the toolbox, he is not afraid to adjust the lineup from game to game or within a game.
- Starting lineup. Ham has tinkered with the starting lineup several times until he has come up with a 5 man starting group that he likes (Bron, AD, Vanderbilt, Reaves & DeAngelo). Hachimura, Beasley, Brown Jr and Schroder have all started at times after the all star break. They all remain in the rotation but neither one of them is in the starting lineup now. Beasley and Brown Jr’s 3-pt shooting comes and goes and neither can make plays with the ball. Hachimura can get lost out there and at times be rather passive. Too much of Schroder off the ball isn’t a good thing for the team as he is better being a lead ball handler. That leaves Austin Reaves. Because of his rise in production and versatility on offense and defense, Reaves is now in the starting lineup to provide extra shooting and playmaking. Coach Ham kept tinkering until he found the right starting lineup for this group.
- Closing lineups. Besides the two stars, Schroder and Reaves, that 5th guy is always dependent on who is playing better and what’s needed at the time. If they need a shooter in there, it might be DeAngelo. If they need defense, it’s Vanderbilt. If they need a little size to help out on the boards, it will be Hachimura. If they need another wing defender and shooter it could be Brown Jr or Beasley. The closing lineup is fluid and that’s a good thing. Darvin Ham’s coaching has been a positive key for this team and will continue to be if they are to advance.
2.Defense. The Lakers have a tough time of stopping teams in the 1st half of games. However, in the 2nd half they focus in more and lock down on what other teams are trying to do. The defense is lead by Jared Vanderbilt taking the assignment against an opposing team’s best perimeter player. Next is Schroder’s on ball defense against the point guard. And then AD is on the back line to help swat away or deter drives to the basket. Their rotations and switching defense stifles offenses for long stretches.  As long as Lebron is locked in and not playing lazy defense (he’s in his 20th year, can’t expect him to play the same level of defense), the other guys on the court usually hold their own and don’t allow any easy shots. And the team does a good job of rebounding and then turning those rebounds into run outs and fast breaks on the other end. Their defense should be stout enough to keep them in games until their offense gets going.Â
3.The Big Dogs are still able to deliver. AD and Bron, Bron and AD. They are still two of the top 15 best players in the league and can deliver a dominant half of basketball on any given night. If the Lakers can get a couple of the role players (Reaves, Schroder, Rui, DeAngelo, Beasley) to have 20 pt nights on a rotating basis, the two stars still have the ability to make enough game winning plays to help the team win a series. Don’t underestimate these guys just yet!
And that about wraps it up for my Lakers playoff chances for 2023. If you are a Lakers fan or not, tune into the games as it’s shaping up to be a high scoring, exciting playoffs. See ya next time.
Can I simply say what a relief to uncover somebody that truly understands what they are discussing over the internet. You certainly know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. A lot more people must look at this and understand this side of your story. I was surprised that you are not more popular given that you most certainly have the gift.
On point Flurt!