After a strong start under new head coach JJ Redick, the Lakers are back to being the same mediocre team that barely squeaked into the playoffs in the last two seasons. They are 3-7 over their last 10 games and have dropped to eighth in the West. Things are falling apart in LA, and Paul Pierce believes this could be the year the bottom falls out.
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On The Truth Lounge, Pierce discussed the Lakers’ season so far and their dismal form of late with co-hosts Jason Crowe and Arlo Doston. The Celtics icon was confused about what to make of the team. The trio agreed that it was too early to pass an indictment of Redick’s tactical acumen as he’s only 24 games into his coaching career.
However, Pierce believes that the rookie head coach’s decision to field LeBron James as the point guard hasn’t worked out well. He claimed that the increase in responsibility has negatively impacted his defense and affected his production.
The Hall of Famer advised Redick to figure out how to preserve the forward and Anthony Davis and ensure they aren’t burnt out or injured midway through the season. He claimed that if either were to happen, the unthinkable could happen. Pierce said,
“My thing is, if LeBron or AD miss any significant time, it’s over. They might not even be a play-in team. That’s all they have been.”
Pierce pointed out that the Lakers have been a play-in team over the past two seasons despite James and Davis playing at an All-NBA level. He believes their hopes of earning a playoff berth this season hinge solely on the duo’s ability to carry the team.
The Los Angeles Lakers are losing steam
After hiring Redick, things seemed to be on the up for the 17-time NBA champions. They won 10 of their first 13 games and a new coach was seemingly all they needed to be one of the best teams in the league. However, once the honeymoon was over, reality hit them like a wrecking ball.
James had a horrendous run of form, the team got blown out by 29 and 41 points on back-to-back nights, and they dropped to 13-11. To make matters worse, injuries have also started piling up.
Austin Reaves, one of the bright sparks over the past two seasons, has missed five games in a row. Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood are yet to play this season, and Jaxson Hayes has aggravated an ankle injury.
Their biggest issue has been their three-point shooting. Rookie Dalton Knecht provided some respite on that front. He’s banking 39% of his shot attempts from beyond the arc. However, the rest of the team has been woeful, especially James, who recently missed 20 straight three-point attempts.
Their defense, or lack thereof, is also a worrying factor. Their defensive rating of 117 ranks 26th in the league. The offense has improved slightly under Redick but their defense has fallen off a cliff.
If the rookie head coach doesn’t take measures to rectify the situation, even James and Davis playing at an MVP level wouldn’t save the team.
