The Lakers' performance this season will be a bit disappointing, but Bradley and Munch's backcourt double shots have given us unexpected surprises. In the win over the Hawks, Munch had 29 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists on 11-of-20 shooting, while Bradley had 21 points and six rebounds on 8-of-11 shooting. The two attacked and defended one by one, and jointly defended the honor that belonged to Zijin!
So far this season, Munch has averaged 12 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game, shooting 39.6 percent from three-point range. Bradley averaged 6.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1 steal per game and shot 39.7 percent from three-point range. Although the scoring is average, their three-point shooting rate is the highest on the team. Bradley has a suffocating defensive ability, acting as a defensive gate for the No. 1 and No. 2 positions on the court. Munch has enviable scoring skills and acts as a nerve knife on the court for James. Once the game entered the white-hot stage, they played an irreplaceable role in the team.
Munch was selected by the Hornets to enter the NBA with the 11th pick in the first round of 2017. With a height of 1.91m and a weight of 91 kg, Munch is a highly potential scorer. Munch's physical fitness exploded, and he could do any aerial work by rushing up with the ball. Because of his small size and excellent movement speed, Munch's breakthrough ability and basket finishing ability are also particularly strong. Munch's vision and passing ability are also good, and he has the potential to become a two-way defender.
In addition to this, Munch is also a good shooter. Not only is he shooting fast and accurately, but he also has the potential for a big heart. In his final college season, Munch averaged 20.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, shooting 45 percent from the field and 39.7 percent from three-point range. Munch's template for just entering the league is Lou Wei, a super scorer on the bench. Of course, Munch's shortcomings are also obvious, that is, it is easy to be targeted by opponents on the defensive end. Fortunately, he moves fast and has a good sense of defense, which can make up for the shortcomings of thin body to a certain extent.
In his early league, Munch's performance was not stable, occasionally two consecutive 20+ performances, but the overall shooting rate of 34.6% and 33.3% three-point shooting rate made his playing time less and less. Munch then ended his rookie season with an average of 6.9 points per game. In the second season, Munch reduced his dry pull-out frequency and increased his defensive intensity, averaging 8.9 points per game.
Over the next two seasons, Munch's scoring steadily improved, averaging 10.3 and 11.8 points per game and shooting 40.1 percent from the field in his fourth season. Munch's progress is there for all to see, but he's not within the range of the Hornets. At the end of the season, Munch joined the Lakers without hesitation, and won the trust of the coach with his excellent performance, becoming part of the Lakers' rotation lineup.
Bradley entered the NBA in 2010 with the 19th pick in the first round. Bradley is 1.90m tall and weighs 82 kg and plays as a point guard. Unlike other skinny defenders, Bradley has a suffocating defensive ability. Bradley is fast, can stick to opponents like a brown candy, and has excellent defensive ability, but only in the No. 1 position.
Bradley had won defensive first and second teams of the year in his career, when he was hailed as an important puzzle piece for the winning team. In addition to this, Bradley has a soft feel and a good mid-range hand. But later on, because of the needs of the team, most of his shots were concentrated outside the three-point line, becoming a defensive outside player.
When he first entered the league, Bradley played around the Big Three. Playing around the giants can be said to have both opportunities and challenges. Bradley can learn a lot from Pierce, Garnett, and Ray Allen, but he also avoids being chased and criticized by Garnett after making mistakes.
In his career debut, Bradley played 6 minutes and had 2 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist. Bradley then had 5 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals against the Pelicans. Later, Bradley played better and better, and gradually became the team's starting defender. By 15-16, Bradley averaged 15.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game and was named the best defensive team of the year.
Later, the team signed Hayward for 4 years and 128 million, which limited the overall salary space of the team. But with Bradley's performance, if you want to keep him, you need to offer a contract with an annual salary of tens of millions. In the end, the team had to endure the pain and traded Bradley to the Pistons. Since then, Bradley has embarked on his multi-team wandering career.
In the Pistons' first season, Bradley averaged 15 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Bradley then moved to the Clippers and Grizzlies and had a good performance. Later, in order to win the championship, Bradley joined the Lakers for 2 years and 9.7 million. However, in the later period, Because Bradley did not participate in the rematch in Orlando, there was a gap with the Lakers. At the end of the season, Bradley refused to execute the Lakers' 5 million option, choosing to sign a two-year, 11.6 million contract with the Heat. Bradley then went to the Heat, Rockets, Warriors, and finally returned to the Lakers.
This time Bradley returned to the Lakers, still starting from defense. His role on the court is not reflected in the data, only bradley is on the floor, the Lakers' outside defense will look more solid and reliable. Bradley's nearly 40% three-point shooting rate will also open up more space for James and Westbrook to break through. Even James and Vogel praised Bradley, saying he would greatly improve the Lakers' defensive intensity.
So far this season, the Lakers' performance has not been satisfactory. The injury of the main players has affected the stop-and-go, resulting in the team's starting lineup being changed all the time. And the introduction of Wei Shao in the off-season was questioned by fans for his poor performance. The only people who can provide James with steady help are Munch and Bradley. If the Lakers want to really get on the right track, they have to wait until the whole staff returns healthy. But in the days of the thick-brow truce, it is necessary for the 37-year-old James to continue to carry the team forward. Bradley and Munch are undoubtedly James's most powerful assistants.
In the current state of the Lakers, the Lakers are only a playoff team, not a championship-winning team. Their aging players and defense will be the main reasons that constrain them to win the title. If the Lakers can trade in the later stages, or introduce a few young, tall, defensive forward players, the Lakers can still restore their former dominance.
James has made it clear last season that he is no longer at the top, but this season he still plays many 30+ games, but there is no guarantee that the team will win. At this moment, James may have some experience last season's Curry feelings. Everyone wants to win, but someone is bound to lose. Expect the Lakers to win more games in the future!