{"id":102248,"date":"2024-10-20T18:16:14","date_gmt":"2024-10-20T22:16:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=102248"},"modified":"2024-10-20T18:16:14","modified_gmt":"2024-10-20T22:16:14","slug":"lakers-preseason-how-la-executed-redicks-top-two-tenets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/10\/20\/lakers-preseason-how-la-executed-redicks-top-two-tenets\/","title":{"rendered":"Lakers Preseason: How LA Executed Redick’s Top Two Tenets"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Lakers wrapped up preseason action with a road loss to the Warriors, with many fans expressing tempered excitement for their 2024-25 campaign. The players\u2014particularly the returners\u2014have shown a level of comfortability under head coach <\/span>JJ Redick<\/span><\/a>, buying into his philosophy and expressing optimism toward his leadership and system.<\/span><\/p>\n

One recent storyline to watch was how this roster would adjust to a new and innovative game plan, in addition to a sense of structure that was, arguably, absent last season. Fans got a taste of that in preseason, but there are two areas worth focusing on as the purple and gold geared up for the games that count.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lakers Preseason: How LA Executed Redick’s Top Two Tenets<\/b><\/h2>\n

Background<\/b><\/h3>\n

When Redick was introduced as LA\u2019s new leading man, he expressed a desire for the Lakers to improve in two key areas: threes and offensive rebounds. For someone who has an analytics-centered approach as part of his coaching beliefs, the previous numbers do not lie\u2014the Lakers have historically struggled in both areas.<\/span><\/p>\n

The team\u2019s lack of perimeter prowess was well-chronicled over the last few seasons. Last year, though they ranked eighth in regular season three-point percentage (37.7%), they were in the bottom third of threes made per game (11.8, 24th in the NBA). Their woes continued into the playoffs. The Lakers shot 29.9% from deep in the first round against Denver, making 11.5 of their 38.5 attempts per game. The Athletic\u2019s Jovan Buha <\/span>added<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>The Lakers have been a low-volume 3-point team in the James-Davis era. They have ranked in the bottom 10 in 3-point attempts per game in four of their five seasons together, including just 28th last season.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In terms of crashing the glass, the Lakers were dead last in offensive rebounds, with an average of 8.2 per game. Similar to their shooting, those numbers also faltered against the Nuggets\u2014a team that was better in not only competitiveness but in size as well. LA grabbed 7.4 offensive rebounds per game against Denver, ranking 14th among all 16 playoff teams. The silver lining here, though, is that they were third in defensive rebounds per game in the postseason, pulling down an average of 33.2 in that span.<\/span><\/p>\n

Three-Point Shooting<\/b><\/h3>\n

The Lakers\u2019 emphasis on three-point shooting should have been obvious given their coach\u2019s playing background, but it was even more evident in their preseason opener. The team was unafraid to fire from the perimeter, hoisting 32 threes against the Timberwolves\u2014but nailing only ten of them (31.7%). That trend stayed true in the middle of preseason action; Buha wrote that the Lakers \u201c<\/span>averaged 38.7 3-point attempts per game, which ranks 17th in the league. The Lakers have attempted at least 32 3-pointers in all three preseason games \u2014 more than they averaged last season \u2014 and more than 40 in back-to-back games.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In the end, the team still attempted a noticeably high number of threes per game (38.5) across six <\/span>preseason<\/span><\/a> contests\u201418th in the league. However, they also made a mere 11.5 per game in that span\u2014a mark of 29.9%.<\/span><\/p>\n

Redick has explicitly stated how much he wants the team\u2019s perimeter shooting to improve, <\/span>saying<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>I would like us to average five or six more 3s a game. But you have to be conscientious about how we\u2019re generating those 3s. I actually think we\u2019ve done a pretty good job of getting good looks. \u2026 I like the mindset overall to shoot when set \u2014 and shoot good 3s.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Given that the Lakers shot 31.7 threes per game last season, their current mark is a good sign for growth. The makes, on the other hand, should hopefully come with time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Players That Can Help<\/b><\/h4>\n

Redick has already implored the team\u2019s stars, <\/span>LeBron James<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Anthony Davis<\/span><\/a>, to <\/span>shoot more threes<\/span><\/a>. They have since responded accordingly, albeit with limited sample sizes. Davis may have only shot 29.4% from distance, though his highlight came in a <\/span>35-point outburst where he went 4\/9 from deep<\/span><\/a>. James, who shot a career-high 41% from three last year, shot an impressive 57% from three in preseason\u2014even if it came on 8\/14 shooting. Both players have always spaced the floor throughout their careers, but they must be the catalysts for improving the Lakers\u2019 chances from three-point range.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rookie <\/span>Dalton Knecht<\/span><\/a> will have a chance to excel for the Lakers as he builds on a strong preseason. Tabbed as a steal of the 2024 draft, the 17th overall pick proved he is a threat from distance, translating a key skill that earned him <\/span>SEC Player of the Year honors<\/span><\/a>. His\u00a0 performance in the preseason finale\u201435 points on eight triples\u2014seemed to solidify his standing as a rotation player for LA.<\/span><\/p>\n