As a die-hard Lakers fan, I’m naturally concerned. Sure, since D’Antoni has hopped on board, the team has been performing significantly better however have dropped their last two games and their past four games away from the glitz and glam of the Staples Centre. So what exactly is going wrong?
Turnovers have been the biggest issue for the Lakers in each of their losses this season. After a massive eleven in the first half against the Grizzlies, the generous Lakers gave away another seven; that’s eighteen opportunities that Memphis capitalized on that to the Lakers demise. The Lakers are giving away twenty-one turnovers on average on the road, with Kobe handing the ball over the most. At home however, the Lakers are handing their opposition the ball a smaller amount; an average of fifteen with Dwight Howard being most guilty.
Before the Grizzlies, the Lakers lost significantly to the three for seven Sacramento Kings. It should have been Miami Heat versus a meagre high school team, but everything went wrong for the Lakers once again. Howard and Gasol combined for a pathetic fifteen points, which suggests the big men are struggling on the road, considering their forty point and twenty six rebound effort the night before. Lacklustre defence in the final quarter saw Memphis score forty points and shoot sixty three percent during the second half. After keeping them to forty-two in the first, there is no excuse for allowing them to run freely on their own court in the home stretch of the game.
It appears that Kobe isn’t struggling away from Los Angeles, but that’s not necessarily a good sign. His thirty point performance against Memphis couldn’t get the Lakers ahead, but against such a mediocre team, why did Bryant have to play thirty seven minutes? Dwight scored seven points in thirty-nine minutes and Gasol scored six in forty minutes, so Kobe obviously has to pick up the slack. But what is stopping the Lakers big men from performing away from home?
The Lakers have a long way to go before forming the offensive strategy and team chemistry needed to take them through to the playoffs. Don’t get me wrong, all hope is not lost. But D’Antoni and the Lakers have a lot of work ahead of them. And that is the last word…
