Category: Los Angeles Lakers Blog

A post shared by Los Angeles Lakers (@lakers) on Jan 17, 2018 at 4:52pm PST

Hitting free throws is generally the easiest part of an NBA game. There is no defense. It’s just the player, unguarded, standing at the same place every time, shooting at a basket that doesn’t move or anything. But for whatever reason, there will always be pro players who find free throw shooting to be a struggle. And this season, many of those players are on the Lakers. Here’s the OC Register reporting:

When the Lakers were merely a bad free throw shooting team, Luke Walton insisted they would improve through repetition. The foul shots they made in practice would eventually start falling in games.

After Friday’s 2-for-14 debacle, the Lakers coach is ready to pull out the big guns.

“We have another meditation scheduled on the books for when we get back from this road trip,” Walton said…

The Lakers 68.8 percent percentage from the line is the worst in the NBA. Oklahoma City, which ranks 29th, shoots nearly 2 points better, at 70.4 percent.

“It is very confusing,” Walton said. “Free throws are more mental than anything. We talk about it, we work on it.”

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A post shared by Los Angeles Lakers (@lakers) on Dec 25, 2017 at 9:23pm PST

LaVar Ball is currently in Lithuania, where his teenage sons will soon be playing pro basketball against disgruntled 30-year-olds with something to prove. Like anybody else, he can watch Laker games on TV. But unlike almost anybody else, son Lonzo is a key part of the team and obviously has a pulse on the squad’s situation. Here’s ESPN.com reporting LaVar’s take on the current state of the team, who have lost nine games in a row and have the second-worst winning percentage in the league:

Ball, who was up at 5 a.m. local time Saturday to watch his son Lonzo Ball in his first game back with the Lakers since suffering a shoulder injury on Dec. 23, expressed his frustration with Walton in an exclusive interview with ESPN.

“You can see they’re not playing for Luke no more,” LaVar said from the spa resort in Birstonas, where he is staying while his two youngest sons get ready to make their professional debuts. “Luke doesn’t have control of the team no more. They don’t want to play for him.”

“That’s a good team,” he added of the Lakers, who have lost nine straight games. “Nobody wants to play for him. I can see it. No high five’s when they come out of the game. People don’t know why they’re in the game. He’s too young. He’s too young. … He ain’t connecting with them anymore. You can look at every player, he’s not connecting with not one player.”

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A post shared by Los Angeles Lakers (@lakers) on Dec 27, 2017 at 7:26pm PST

The Lakers through Tuesday’s games are 11-25, which is the second worst winning record in the league. They’ve got lots of young, undeveloped talent. Fun to see who develops. But there’s a lot of losing. For more, here’s the LA Times:

What young players such as rookies Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart, and second-year forward Brandon Ingram are experiencing now, their veteran teammates remember well.

“It’s tough when you’re a rookie; everybody hits the wall,” said Corey Brewer, who is in his 10th NBA season. “Mentally you’ve got to just figure it out. … They’re kids still in my mind. They’re kids. They’re gonna learn. We’re only gonna get better.”

Jordan Clarkson, in his fourth year, says his second NBA season was much easier than his first. Clarkson started getting significant minutes in January of his rookie year. He became a starter in his second season.

“I understand,” Clarkson said. “They’re coming fresh from college, their season probably would be over by now. Travel, everything probably catching up to few of those guys. You gotta learn what fits you recovery wise, how to take care of your body, eating, stuff like that.”

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A post shared by Lonzo Ball (@zo) on Dec 16, 2017 at 6:58pm PST

The headline is no surprise. Of course a head coach will almost always compliment his own players, especially a young, talented rookie like Lonzo Ball. But the exact wording a coach uses when doing so is always of interest. The Lakers are 11-25 this season, which through Monday’s games is the second worst record in the league. Ball has a long way to go on his shot, but his rebounding, passing and overall court awareness is very impressive. He’s averaging 10.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.0 blocks and 1.4 steals per game. The shooting is an issue: 34.9% FG and 29.7% three-pointers. Still, an excellent rookie, as head coach Luke Walton is happy to explain. Here’s the LA Times reporting:

Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball’s injured left shoulder will be reevaluated on Tuesday while the Lakers take a day off of practice…

“Whether he’s making shots or not, the way he plays the game of basketball makes us a better team,” Lakers coach Luke Walton said of Ball after Monday’s game. “Tyler and Josh [Hart] did a great job last night but, yeah, we missed him last night too.

“Zo’s someone that we believe makes big plays, makes winning plays, whether it’s a steal or throw ahead to end the run — whatever it is — he’s constantly making those throughout a game.”

Although possible, it’s unlikely that Ball will be cleared to play Wednesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

While his team was away, Ball underwent treatment.

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A post shared by Los Angeles Lakers (@lakers) on Dec 18, 2017 at 8:53pm PST

Monday night at Staples Center in Los Angeles, the Lakers retired two Kobe Bryant jerseys, No. 8 and nN. 24, in front of a packed, adoring crowd. Below are some LA media Bryant quotes from the amazing evening:

“It’s not about the jerseys hanging up there for me, it’s about jerseys hanging up there before, without them I couldn’t be here today,” said a gracious Bryant into the microphone, adding, “It’s about embodying the spirit that exist in those jerseys up there … so that the next 20 years are better than the past 20 years.” — Los Angeles Times

“It was during Monday’s pregame session that I asked Bryant, if he had a choice, would he retire No. 8 or No. 24. I was hoping he would say 24. Wearing No. 8, he was a child. Wearing No. 24, he was a man. Wearing No. 8, he won three championships as a freewheeling sidekick to O’Neal. Wearing No. 24, he led the Lakers to two titles without O’Neal, the child star becoming a mature leader. So what is it, 8 or 24? “I kind of go back and forth,” Bryant said, smiling. “Eight has something that 24 will never, ever, ever, ever, ever have, that’s the ability to grow hair. Honestly, it’s tough.” – Los Angeles Times

“It’s not about my jerseys that are hanging up there for me,” Bryant said. “It’s about the jerseys that were hanging up there before. Without them, I couldn’t be here today. … It’s about embodying the spirit that exists in those jerseys up there and carrying this organization forward, so the next 20 years are better than the past 20 years.” – OC Register

“Among the Lakers legends on hand for the ceremony were West and O’Neal, as well as Elgin Baylor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes and James Worthy. “To now be a part of that wall,” Bryant said before the game, “it means everything to me. I think legacy is really important in the sense of what we’ve done is awesome. But I think what’s more important for a legacy is how that affects the next generation.” – OC Register

“It is hard to put into words,” Bryant said of the moment. “Growing up and watching all these great players play and learning so much from them, to now be a part of that wall means everything to me. Legacy is really important in the sense of what we have done is awesome, but what is more important for a legacy is how that affects the next generation. For the jerseys up there now, the impact it had on me, which led us to this moment now is the true [indication of a legacy].” — ESPN Los Angeles

“Who can remember when he scored 81 points in a game?” Magic Johnson continued. “And last but not least, there will never be an athlete in his last performance to top this man’s performance, 60 points! Man! … Kobe, Jerry West called me the day you worked out and he said, ‘Earvin, I just witnessed the greatest workout I have ever seen in my entire life,’ and Jerry, you were absolutely right.” — ESPN Los Angeles

Lonzo Ball is a very promising NBA rookie whose shot is in need of serious improvement. He’s been their starting point guard, and that will apparently continue, at least for now. Not a surprise, but still interesting now that it’s been confirmed by Lakers coach Luke Walton himself. Here’s ESPN.com reporting:

Coach Luke Walton says rookie Lonzo Ball remains the Los Angeles Lakers’ starting point guard and that there is no talk of moving the No. 2 overall draft pick to the bench.

Struggling with his shot, Ball has not played in the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ past two games — a win against the Phoenix Suns and a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Walton instead rode with the strong play of sixth man Jordan Clarkson.

“He’s our starting point guard,” Walton said of Ball after practice Thursday. “So there’s no discussion, no talks as of now of moving Lonzo to the bench. Nah. He’s our starting point guard.”

The Lakers have been in a rebuilding state, and both their present and future is built around youth. That leaves little use for veteran forward Luol Deng. For more, here’s ESPN.com:

When Los Angeles Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. broke a bone in his left hand last week, there was a brief possibility the team might replace him in the starting lineup with veteran power forward Luol Deng.

Instead the Lakers started rookie Kyle Kuzma, who proceeded to put up double-doubles in both his starts. Kuzma has played so well, he may never come out of the starting lineup — even when Nance is ready to return in 4-6 weeks.

Deng remained right where he has been for most of the season — on the inactive list, while the Lakers prioritize developing their younger players over getting value out of the man they signed to a four-year, $72 million contract in the summer of 2016.

“It definitely hurts,” Deng told ESPN on Monday after the Lakers’ practiced. “But the only answer for me now is to prove myself away from L.A. I’m not asked to play, I’m not in the rotation, so I can’t prove myself here.”

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