[Star] James vs Spurs highlights
The Lakers lost again, losing 110-138 to the Spurs on the "Staples Center" farewell night, suffering four straight losses, during which they lost an average of 17 points per game.
James scored 36 points on 15-of-26 shooting, scoring 30+ in his third straight game and 30+ losses in his third straight game. During his four-game losing streak, James averaged 30 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists per game, shooting 56 percent from the field, all in vain.
James fought for his life, but the Lakers let him enter the empty cutting group again and again, which is worse than the old Zhan played badly, the Lakers lost more desperate, because James has a strong ability to adjust, occasionally an abnormal, he has a way to rebound in the state, but now this situation of slashing 30+ consecutive losses is somewhat helpless.
Si Liang, does Old Zhan miss Brother Thick Eyebrows at this time?
The Lakers' wave of losing streaks began with the injury of the thick eyebrow brother, the thick eyebrows have not been criticized this season, and all kinds of ridicule have poured into him, but he is actually the lakers' fig leaf, when the thick eyebrows can play, the Lakers can still partially cover up the deformity on their lineup, once the thick eyebrows do not fight for a long time, the Lakers are caught in the mud that James is trying his best but can't do anything.
The fundamental problem with the Lakers is that the team building ideas they envisioned in the offseason are deviated, the Lakers gave up Caruso, Pop and Kuzma, which are still quite good defensive resources, to improve the quality of the offense, the idea itself is dangerous, easy to go from one extreme to the other, but if it can really reach an extreme level, such as attacking strong and weak, it can still play, but the Lakers have gone to the embarrassment of defensive relegation and the offense has not risen.
There are reasons for injuries, but not just injuries. Westbrook took $44 million this season, is the Lakers' first high salary, the Lakers appreciate his organization and breakthrough ability, Westbrook also worked hard to integrate into the team, but his unstable projection, determined that the ballless state of containment is insufficient, he played with James, can not provide space support, but need James to play the role of shooter.
Westbrook's characteristic, you have to give him the ball, and then teammates pull the space, so the Lakers have to be careful with the traditional center like Howard and Jordan Jr., who can only drag space with Westbrook on the court. When the thick-browed brother can play, even if the three-point shot is "tearful", but he appears on the outside line, the opponent cannot say that he will let go.
Thick eyebrows hurt, the Lakers have to push James to the fifth position, not to mention that the old Zhan is tired of playing center, the Lakers are the ultimate five small, what about their basket protection? The Lakers have hoarded a number of guards this season, and then can not find a few can defend, the outside of the habitual city gate is wide open, there are thick eyebrows, but also to make up for the outer defense holes, thick eyebrows are not there, the Lakers do not even have a person to fill the leak.
The loss to the Spurs exposed the Lakers' weaknesses, James tried his best with 36 points, and Westbrook scored 30 points on 12-of-20 shooting, but the other teammates dragged their legs one by one, and other Lakers players other than Jianway totaled 2 of 18 three-pointers.
When the Lakers' supporting players can't shoot accurately, their defensive weakness will be amplified, allowing the Spurs to take 138 points! The Lakers' lineup is strange in the backcourt is short, when the old Zhan and Anthony top to the four or five positions, the third position is unavailable, the Lakers from the previous two seasons of large-sized teams, made into the current size is not enough, put a big center is easy to be blocked and dismantled roll call targeted, the ultimate five small body and loss, no one can prevent.
The current situation of the Lakers is somewhat similar to that of 2013, the Lakers paper lineup eight years ago is very good, but the actual use of the old injury of the middle and old, and finally rely on Kobe to fight until the Achilles tendon is seriously injured before squeezing into the playoffs.
James is third in the league with 37 minutes per game this season, and his last single-season average of 37 minutes per game was already in the 2016-17 season. James's load is very large, so it is more dangerous to fight like this, after all, old Zhan's ability to fight injuries is far less than before.
But does the Lakers have a solution? Trading Wei Shao for other more suitable stars is theoretically good, but the actual operation is too difficult, and now it is that Wei Shao can reduce the pressure on Lao Zhan, and others are even more unreliable.
Now James, perhaps with a loneliness unprecedented in his career, he was in the Cavaliers 1.0 period, although it was a single core, but after all, he was young and durable. Later heat and Cavaliers 2.0 period, surrounded by Wade, Irving and other star teammates, even in 2018, which claimed to lead the team to the Finals alone, the Cavaliers also had the fifth offensive efficiency of the regular season, and now the Lakers have the 27th offensive efficiency.
The Lakers can only look forward to the early return of the thick eyebrow brother, before that, can only old Zhan hard to hold on, can win a few games to win a few games.