Return to the "three highs" era? The Lakers did the opposite and inadvertently posed a problem for James
Drummond was bought out by the Cavaliers and joined the Lakers, which brought the league's arms race to a climax. The former averaged 17.5 points and 13.5 rebounds per game this season, including 4.0 offensive rebounds. During the difficult period when James was both absent, this operation not only significantly enhanced the team's ability to protect rebounds and filled the void in the penalty area, but also gave the Lakers a roster that could compete with championship teams such as the Nets and Clippers. With the superior capital, the chances of defending the championship have also skyrocketed.
Last offseason, the Lakers gave up on contract renewals for two veteran insiders, McGee and Howard, who helped the team win the championship, and instead signed Harrell and Garfield, who have stronger offensive capabilities and skills. Sol, but now that more than half of the season has passed, Garfield has almost no highlight performance. His slow movement speed and sharply degraded defense have made Lakers fans miss Howard who left Philadelphia. Harrell still remains active as he was with the Clippers. , but in the playoffs, a short athletic insider is unreliable.
Therefore, an insider with both physical and rebounding abilities like Zhuang Shen has become an urgently needed resource for the Lakers. In theory, on the one hand, he can help Davis reduce the pressure on rebounding and allow the backcourt to rebound. The player devotes himself entirely to offensive scoring. On the other hand, his mobility is much improved compared to his small size. When the Lakers start a fast break, they don't have to worry about their big man not being able to keep up.
According to the current lineup structure, the Lakers already have a veritable "three highs". The last time their inside line was so terrifying was back in 2009. Bynum, Gasol and O The average height of Dom's three towers is more than 2.10 meters, and they cover a series of functional skills such as post-up singles, high and low support, penalty area blocking, rebound protection and three-point shooting.
Today's Lakers' "Three Highs" are no less generous. Xiaojia's style is similar to that of Dajia. Brother Big Eyebrow has top offensive and defensive capabilities, and his shooting covers the entire half. Zhuang Shen provides enough In terms of rebounding ability, in the small ball era when guards have become the mainstream, this inside combination is almost at a level of its own, building an indestructible wall in the penalty area.
The arrival of Zhuang Shen made the Lakers cheer, but they also took certain risks. For example, Zhuang Shen himself is not a reliable defensive barrier. Although his data is good-looking, it can be said that when it comes to basic defensive skills However, his defensive efficiency this season is only 113.2, and he has never averaged more than 2 blocks per game in a single season in his career. His immature inside singles skills often waste a lot of shooting opportunities, like a vast ocean. The shooting hot spot is jaw-dropping.
It can be said that the Lakers are indeed doing the opposite in building a team around James and Big Eyebrow. What the two cores need is enough space and a solid defense line to infinitely amplify James. With the talent and offensive fluency of the two Meis, Zhuang Shen obviously cannot meet any of the above points in terms of adaptability.
In fact, James has never been "incompatible" with traditional centers in his career. During the Cavaliers 1.0 period, he and O'Neal were teammates for a year, which resulted in the inside space being simply not enough for two people. Since then, whether it is During the Heat and Cavaliers 2.0 era, the management never considered introducing an orthodox center to partner with James. Only space-based insiders were the latter's favorite.
This operation of the Lakers inadvertently posed a problem for James. Unless Zhuang Shen can take the initiative to adapt to James' style like Howard and completely achieve "TT-ization", otherwise he will inevitably be reduced accordingly. Attack the inside space and reduce the threat of the system. Fortunately, James' three-point shooting rate this season has reached the second-highest level of his career at 36.8%, averaging 2.4 three-pointers per game. He wants to solve this problem and continue to improve his outside shooting. Productivity and efficiency are the only answers.
From a personal point of view, the Lakers' current lineup still has contradictions and abnormal trends. It lacks a clear system direction. The combination of "three highs" is enough for them to slow down their rhythm and play steadily. If you are looking for On a stable basis, Vogel can maximize the scoring ability of Schroeder and Kuzma and other chaotic masters. Maybe they can compete with the Nets.