{"id":57659,"date":"2023-10-27T10:45:09","date_gmt":"2023-10-27T14:45:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=57659"},"modified":"2023-10-27T10:50:38","modified_gmt":"2023-10-27T14:50:38","slug":"four-expectations-for-the-2023-24-los-angeles-lakers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2023\/10\/27\/four-expectations-for-the-2023-24-los-angeles-lakers\/","title":{"rendered":"Four Expectations for the 2023-24 Los Angeles Lakers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Even before opening week, the Lakers had many eyes watching them and even more expectations to fulfill. The purple and gold are hungry for another ring, coming in with a championship mentality.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are four expectations for <\/span>LeBron James<\/b><\/a>, <\/span>Anthony Davis<\/b><\/a> and the 2023-24 Lakers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Four Expectations for the 2023-24 Los Angeles Lakers<\/b><\/b><\/h2>\n

1. Darvin Ham\u2019s Championship-Level Coaching<\/b><\/h3>\n

Behind every superstar duo is an excellent coaching staff, and Darvin Ham\u2014entering his second year in LA\u2014has grown comfortable with the environment. However, he\u2019s uncomfortable and unsatisfied with the outcome of his rookie season. With Ham at the helm of a revamped roster, there are plenty of expectations placed on him.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first of such expectations is to manage what he calls a \u201cchampionship-level roster.\u201d Ham\u2019s rotation is set with a stellar supporting cast.\u00a0 Now, it\u2019s a matter of integrating the new pieces with the returners\u2014a mix of solid veterans and energetic young guys.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the same time, Ham will play a key role in LeBron\u2019s 21st season. While James was mic\u2019d up during LA\u2019s opening game, he was heard talking with assistant coach Phil Handy, <\/span>frustrated with his role<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cY\u2019all do know I can play point guard too, right?\u00a0 We got a lot left.\u00a0 I can play the point.\u00a0 With Rui in there, or Austin and T.P. at the 2 and 3.\u00a0 I\u2019m just out there, just floating around.\u00a0 Unless I get it off the glass.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The fact that James was subbed out with the Lakers down four\u2014and came back with a double-digit deficit\u2014didn\u2019t help matters either.<\/span><\/p>\n

LeBron\u2019s minutes restriction is <\/span>in line with Ham\u2019s plan for him<\/span><\/a>, a sign that minute management is top of mind this season. Ham redeemed himself by keeping James in during crunch time against Phoenix\u2014with James playing 35 minutes total and putting his stamp on the first win of the year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Going forward, the pressure will be on for Ham to do what\u2019s right for LeBron and the Lakers.\u00a0 That means either keeping James in at the right times, or finding lineups that succeed without him on the floor.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

2. Top-Five Defense<\/b><\/h3>\n

An aspect of Ham\u2019s coaching to keep an eye on is LA\u2019s defense. The Lakers focused on defense to open training camp, hoping to improve on their 12th-place finish (113.2) from last season (4th after the All-Star Break). Based on their approach and past performances, the Lakers could get back into the top-five soon.<\/span><\/p>\n

The team signed several defensive-minded players, including <\/span>Taurean Prince<\/b><\/a>, <\/span>Jaxson Hayes<\/b><\/a> and <\/span>Cam Reddish<\/b><\/a>. Their returners are also eager to improve on that side of the ball.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Lakers played standout defense at times last night, especially late in the game. <\/span>Christian Wood<\/b><\/a>, in particular, held his own against Kevin Durant in the fourth quarter. He limited KD to nine points and forced three turnovers. Ham had <\/span>plenty of praise<\/span><\/a> for his backup center:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>I thought he did about as good as anyone can do. He made a commitment to me when we signed him that that is a part of his game that he wants to get better at. […] With Christian, in particular, his length and his ability to contest and his focus, he’s trying to be good on that end of the floor. We saw he was in a good rhythm. He was getting some huge defensive rebounds. And so I decided to go with him and throw him in the deep end of the pool.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The team as a whole held Phoenix to 5\/20 shooting in the fourth, and forced ten Suns turnovers. <\/span>Gabe Vincent<\/b><\/a> believes<\/span><\/a> they\u2019re capable of doing that for a full 48 minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe just trusted our defense. We trusted one another. We picked up our intensity. And, to be honest, we told on ourselves a bit\u2026Just because we do that in the fourth, that\u2019s something we could do [for] an entire game. So we got to pick up on that.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It\u2019s performances and accountability like that which will allow the Lakers to thrive.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Lakers have been capable of producing a top-ten (even a top-three) defense in recent years. Their best mark came in 2021, with a league-best rating of 107.1. The season before\u2014when they won their 17th championship\u2014saw them finish third in defensive rating (106.3). Davis and James have been the catalysts, but the buy-in from role players is critical to this goal.<\/span><\/p>\n

With a new roster that mirrors the team\u2019s title-winning formula, there\u2019s no doubt that they can be a top-tier defense once again.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

3. Backcourt Breakout: D\u2019Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves<\/b><\/h3>\n

The backcourt duo of <\/span>D\u2019Angelo Russell<\/b><\/a> and <\/span>Austin Reaves<\/b><\/a> found success late in the season, and they played an integral part in LA\u2019s postseason run. In last year\u2019s playoffs, they recorded a net rating of 4.5 (116.3 offensive, 111.8 defensively). Now, with a full offseason under their belts, it\u2019s time for Russell and Reaves to shine\u2014both together and individually.<\/span><\/p>\n

D\u2019Angelo Russell<\/b><\/h4>\n

Russell endured his share of struggles upon his return, but he now has a chance to maximize his effort with the Lakers. He was fourth among the team\u2019s preseason scorers\u2014averaging 13.5 points while shooting 45% from distance. However, he finished with 11 points and seven assists in LA\u2019s season opener. His inefficiency continued last night\u2014scoring 14 points on 6\/16 shooting\u2014but he also had five assists and two steals.<\/span><\/p>\n

Russell has proven he can score in spurts and make plays that contribute to a winning team. These first two performances should be taken with a grain of salt in the grand scheme of things.<\/span><\/p>\n

D\u2019Lo may have to take a backseat with the team\u2019s plethora of scorers, but he can still impact the game positively, and he has the potential to prove doubters wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n

Austin Reaves<\/b><\/h4>\n

Similarly, Reaves\u2019s jump has been well-chronicled, and he\u2019s building on the momentum that propelled his second year. Continuing his role as the starting shooting guard, Reaves has impressed early on. After a rough scoring night Tuesday, he was more efficient against the Suns, putting up 10 points on 4\/7 shooting from the field.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reaves has also shown an increased maturity and ability to lead, now being one of the more prominent voices for the Lakers. He\u2019s also entering the season with <\/span>extra motivation<\/span><\/a>, fueled by the doubters of his four-year, $56 million contract:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll athletes, once you get a good contract, you\u2019re looked at to live up to that, which is understandable. You\u2019re getting paid that to be successful. And there\u2019s obviously people out there that think I wasn\u2019t worth that. \u2026 You hear those things, and you just [get] fuel off of that.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

All of these traits are admirable in a 25 year old undrafted player, who has embraced his new role and is making the most of his opportunity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Overall, Reaves and Russell are ready for a new challenge, acting as steady scorers and playmakers in a tough Western Conference.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

4. This is Anthony Davis\u2019s Team (at least, it can be)<\/b><\/h3>\n

Finally, as James has indicated in the past, this team runs through Anthony Davis.<\/span><\/p>\n

Davis has been subject to plenty of past criticism due to his injuries, with the recent blow coming from Colin Cowherd:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

"I want to address Anthony Davis going scoreless in the 2nd half… Typically, NBA superstars are not like the milkshake machine at McDonalds. When it works, it's amazing, but that's about 50% of the time." <\/p>\n

\u2014 Colin Cowherd \ud83d\ude05<\/p>\n

(via @TheHerd<\/a>)pic.twitter.com\/4tXXAoQkqy<\/a><\/p>\n

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 25, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n