Lonzo a Bust? Don't Think So

So many basketball experts (and fans alike) have been quick to label Los Angeles Lakers rookie point guard Lonzo Ball a bust with just 19 games played this season.  Expectations for any #2 draft pick are usually (and rightfully) high but the pressure placed on this 20 year old's shoulders has been further intensified along with every accomplishment scrutinized to a fault due to the off court (social media driven) comments by his (very) proud father, Lavar Ball.

Be it as it may, Lonzo for the most part has been handling all the distractions like a seasoned pro which speaks volumes about his mental fortitude.  This characteristic will prove beneficial when the best basketball decision needs to be made in a split second with the game on the line.  In his 19 games, he has shown a great deal of poise in pressure situations and has demonstrated the court vision and basketball IQ that got Magic Johnson excited about drafting him after his freshman year in UCLA.  Lonzo currently boasts a better assist to turnover ratio (2.7) than Kyrie Irving (2.55), Steph Curry (2.14) and Russell Westbrook (2.11) while being on the court longer than Irving and Curry.  There are no signs of Lonzo's mental toughness regressing and it looks like it will only get better as he settles into his NBA career.   

Much has been said about Lonzo's shooting form and how he will need to change it to be a successful scorer in the NBA.  His poor shooting percentage (25% from 3 point range and 31.5% overall) along with his dreadful accuracy on the free throw line (42.9%) will not keep the "bust" labelers quiet.  However, I don't believe it's his form or mechanics that is causing him to shoot so poorly from the field but rather his timing and rhythm.  If you watch Lonzo during pregame shoot arounds, he often sinks ten or more 3 pointers consecutively.  It's during the game that his shooting goes awry and it is simply because of his pass first mentality.  He inadvertently takes himself out of his shooting rhythm as he tries to make the best decision for the team resulting in a great deal of misses on his end.  Getting into his offensive flow is what he needs to figure out to fix his shooting woes while also playing the most complex position on the team.

Lastly, Lonzo has recorded two (2) triple doubles so far in his young career.  With Russell Westbrook and James Harden accomplishing this feat with regularity, people are downplaying Lonzo's abilities and skills as a basketball player.  What most Lonzo naysayers fail to realize is that Luke Walton's offensive system is not conducive to point guards getting triple doubles.  The Lakers are currently running an offensive system that revolves around constant ball movement similar to the pass friendly offensive scheme of the Golden State Warriors where Walton was an assistant coach.  Very rarely does the system allow one player to dominate the ball at any given time with all players expected to find the best scoring opportunity.  In fact, ever since Steve Kerr took over as head coach for the Warriors and implemented this system, back-to-back MVP point guard Stephen Curry recorded a triple double only three (3) times in 3 years.  If you include the playoffs, the likelihood of Steph Curry recording a triple double is 1%.  Though only 19 games into the season, the probability of Lonzo getting a triple double in the same system is 10.5%.  Not bad for a 20 year old rookie.

Bust you say, I don't think so.

    

What's Wrong With Lonzo's Shooting?

As of this post, Lakers' star rookie Lonzo Ball is averaging a less than spectacular 8.8 points per game with a 30% field goal percentage while shooting 23.4% from beyond the arc.  Many experts have pointed to his unorthodox mechanics for his shooting woes.  Some have criticized his relaxed demeanor on the court affecting his ability to put the ball through the basket.  So what's really wrong with Lonzo's shooting?  To tell you the truth, NOTHING.  There's nothing wrong with his mechanics or approach to scoring.

Lonzo is simply a 20 year old rookie point guard trying to figure out how to play in the NBA. 

As many who have played the game can attest, scoring requires a flow, a rhythm, a mentality to be effective.  This rhythm comes easier from a shooting guard or small forward position whose natural role on the team is to score.  Their minds are already set on scoring.  The primary role of the point guard however is to be the court general who facilitates the team's offense in order to create scoring opportunities for his teammates.  They rarely have set plays called for them to take the shot and will usually need to be the decision maker based on what they read in the defense.  This is a difficult task for most NBA veterans, what more for a 20 year old rookie?

As mentioned above, point guards have to create their own scoring opportunities more often than not.  Very rarely are they able to run off screens without the ball so they can take spot up jumpers.  Most shots have to come off the dribble, usually with an opposing big man in front of them or a backcourt defender hot on their heels.  Lonzo is not the most physically gifted player who can simply out-muscle or out-jump his way to a score.  He still has to figure out the spacing between opponents and spots on the court where he can take his shots within his offensive flow.  He's already had a number of shots blocked but it's all part of his learning process.

The more games Lonzo has under his belt (along with mentoring from veteran teammates, coaches and the President of Basketball Operations who happens to be one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history), he'll start to understand where his game fits in the NBA environment.  Sooner than later, he'll start to develop that much needed rhythm and we'll see him become a more effective shooter.  What he lacks in dominating physical gifts, he makes up in basketball IQ and we'll soon be singing him praises as we approach the new calendar year.

Let's all sit back and enjoy watching his progress towards super stardom.

The Move That Will Make Ingram A Star!

Since Magic Johnson announced that Brandon Ingram was the only untouchable Laker in the offseason and that he expects the 20 year old to average 20 points a game this season, the second year player has had trouble dealing with the immense pressure put upon him.

He has shown glimpses of brilliance and is averaging a respectable 14.8 points per game helping the Lakers to a promising 4-5 record.  But he has yet to string together consecutive high scoring games to deem himself the team's go-to-scorer.  It's not as if he lacks the skills or the physical gifts to be an upper echelon scorer in the NBA.  He has sound shooting mechanics, guard-like ball handling skills and a wingspan that would make blocking his shot almost impossible.  So what else is lacking?  What is keeping him from realizing all his potential?

Brandon Ingram only needs to do ONE thing to allow his offensive game to explode.  It's simple really and already part of his offensive arsenal.  What is it you ask?

Brandon simply needs to shoot more mid-range jump shots.  That's it. That's all.  Simple.  Here's why...

Early into this season, Brandon has relied on his ability and length to drive to the basket for scoring opportunities.  This has been his primary offensive move.  With this, defenders have learned to sag towards the basket or drop below screens whenever he has the ball in his hands.  This gives them a slight defensive edge while making it harder for Brandon to score which has resulted in a 45.1% shooting percentage.

Making the pull up jumper his primary offensive weapon, Brandon will keep defenders guessing how to position themselves thus putting him at an advantage.  His length and high release along with a quick jab step will make it virtually impossible for defenders to block this shot.  If he can consistently knock them down, he becomes a scoring threat anywhere on the court.  This will open up more space to operate and present more scoring opportunities.