After dropping the ball to a Jimmy Butler-less Miami Heat in their previous matchup, the Los Angeles Lakers have lost yet another game. And this time, it is to the Memphis Grizzlies. This defeat marks the Lakers’ fourth-straight loss as the team has struggled to win games for a while now. Looking at the downward spiral of the franchise, was former Lakers legend Lamar Odom right when he urged Los Angeles to bring back Phil Jackson’s philosophies?
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Odom took to X(Formerly Twitter) amid the Lakers’ recent struggles to close out games. Odom ended up giving a one-stop solution for the Lakers to turn things around. “There is only 1 way to fix the Lakers… RUN THE TRIANGLE!!!!”
There is only 1 way to fix the Lakers… RUN THE TRIANGLE!!!! https://t.co/C169qUDtPR
— LAMAR ODOM (@LamarOdom) January 6, 2024
The former 6ft 10″ forward who won two championships with Los Angeles believed that LeBron James and the Lakers would benefit if they ran the legendary Phil Jackson’s triangle offense. Not only would that help them win but also somehow fix the team as well.
Odom’s two championships with the Lakers came in back-to-back years in 2009 & 2010. The Lakers were spear-headed by Phil Jackson’s expertise and his years of experience coaching Hall of Famers.
Phil Jackson revolutionized the ‘Triangle Offense’ that served his purpose the best on the floor. Unlike relying on a single-star player to provide a crucial bucket in crunch time, the triangle offense did quite the opposite.
Jackson was able to win 11 NBA titles with the help of his triangle offense. However, since his latter years coaching the New York Knicks, the triangle offense has since died down and hasn’t been used by anyone in ages. So, while the system may have been revolutionary for its time, it may be a bit outdated for the current game, making Odom’s advice something the Lakers should likely ignore.
What could help LeBron James and the Lakers?
The Los Angeles Lakers made history this season, as they played stupendously to win the first-ever In-Season Tournament and clinch the NBA Cup. However, since the tournament, it seems as if the Lakers tend to fumble the game late in the third and fourth quarters.
Many fans believe that the Lakers’ problems stem from poor coaching on the sidelines, targeting head coach Darvin Ham. After the Lakers’ recent loss to the Heat, Ham pointed the finger at constant injuries as the reason why the team hasn’t been able to build a rhythm and momentum.
However, when asked about the views of the players, Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves had entirely contradicting statements instead. Even former All-Star guard Gilbert Arenas decided to go off on the Los Angeles Lakers.
He went on to circle out a few players and berate them before finally dropping the hammer on Dravin Ham. Now, with yet another loss added to the total, the Lakers are 17-19 (11th in the West) going forward as they host their intercity rivals, the Clippers next.
