"After this game, the king should erect a statue of Westbrook in Sacramento."
After witnessing Russell Westbrook's hot eyes, American journalist Kam Brazes left a poignant comment on Twitter.
It is not the "anti-Wei faction" represented by Brazes who is vitriolous and mean, but it is really Wei Shao's performance today that is too bad. In the Lakers' 116-125 loss to the Kings, Westbrook shot 2-of-14 in 37 minutes, including 5-of-0 three-pointers and 4-of-5 free throws, with only 8 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists. In addition to controlling the mistake at 1 time is a bright spot, Wei Shao's performance is only a slot point.
This is the third consecutive game in which Wei Shao has scored in single digits, and the last time Wei Shao encountered this embarrassment had to be traced back to 2010, when the 21-year-old Wei Shao scored in single digits for four consecutive games. Westbrook has not shot more than 20% of the shots in two consecutive games, and before Westbrook only encountered such embarrassment in the 2008 rookie season, when Westbrook was still a substitute. Westbrook shot less than 30 percent in the third consecutive game, the second time in Westbrook's career that he suffered such embarrassment, the last time in 2018.
Just looking at the data, it is conceivable how bad Wei Shao's performance is, and his inefficiency has brought great harm to the Lakers. But in fact, Wei Shao's recklessness is what makes the Lakers more uncomfortable. The Lakers may be able to withstand Wei Shao's shooting and hitting iron, but the Lakers can't afford Wei Shao's reckless moves.
35 seconds before the end of the third quarter, the Lakers had just relied on Austin Reeves's desperate efforts to narrow the point difference to 6 points, and Wei Shao ended the Lakers' momentum of just starting with an unreasonable three-point shooting.
Carefully looking at the above picture several times, Wei Shao stood in place after shooting, and did not return to defense in time. As a result, Westbrook's three-pointer came out of the basket, and the King directly counterattacked with a long pass, and Hield, who should have been guarded by Westbrook, counterattacked and dunked. Many reporters have complained that Wei Shao likes to stand in place and pose without defending after the shot, but Wei Shao is not moved at all, and there is no willingness to change.
Before the end of the third quarter, the Lakers' last attack, Wei Shaoyun was transported to the attack time in half a day, he forced into the basket and was blocked, and the forced pass ended in a mistake. The Kings seized the last chance to complete a counter-attacking three-pointer. In an instant, the Lakers went from chasing to just 6 points behind and then to 11 points behind.
1:16 before the end of the fourth quarter, the Lakers chased only 4 points behind the efforts of LeBron James, and it was Westbrook and wave throwing. Westbrook ignored James at the top of the arc and chose to dribble and shoot three points. The Kings used Westbrook to hit the rebound and was hit by Meitu to seal the winning three-pointer.
American reporter Garcia complained on social media: "I know why Lakers fans are worried about Wei Shao's performance, when he chases points, he comes to an unnecessary three-point shot, and then there is a mistake." It is not denied that Wei is rarely talented, but he has too many performances that make people scratch their heads. ”
This season, anyone who has followed the Lakers game knows that for Wei Shao, a few mistakes and unreasonable strong shots in good times interrupt the team's good momentum, ignoring James and Cameron Anthony in adversity, and choosing to shoot three-point iron is already a routine operation of Wei Shao. As a point guard, it is common sense to hand the ball into the hands of the hottest teammate, but Wei Shao does not have this awareness. It seems that in his cognition, rewarding himself with a wave throw when he is in good times, and believing in his unreliable long-distance shots in adversity is the correct way to play.
If Wei Shao is just a temporary brain fever, or a temporary state of poor condition, then the Lakers can still accept it. The problem is that the Lakers simply do not see the possibility of Wei Shao changing, because the Lakers have done everything they can do, James has made enough sacrifices, he has reached the position of full-time center, but now the Lakers are not able to stimulate the strongest Wei Shao, but are being dragged down by an extremely bad performance of Wei Shao.
Wei Shao's absurd middle shots and three-point playing iron can already cut out long highlights, but Wei Shao is not known for his mid-range shots and three points, and what he really makes the Lakers unbearable is the plunge in the offensive efficiency of the penalty area.
Originally, when Jordan Jr. or Dwight Howard were on the floor at the beginning of the season, Westbrook's shooting percentage from the basket was only about 54%. In order to stimulate Wei Shao's basket offensive power, the Lakers have adopted more small ball play. After Davis fell, the Lakers simply pushed James to the fifth position. The move did boost Westbrook's offensive efficiency, and when James played center, Westbrook's true shooting percentage exceeded 60 percent when he was on the floor.
James played as the starting center, and Westbrook did have a few games to excel. But recently, with the normalization of James playing center, the opponent has studied this set of play more thoroughly and made better responses, and the Lakers' playing style with James as a center is not as effective as before, and Wei Shao's performance has also declined significantly. In the last 4 games, Westbrook's shooting percentage from the basket was only 35%. The Lakers made so many sacrifices for him, in exchange for this result?
James played center, and the Lakers' offensive end of the game was indeed more diverse, especially when the duo of James and Munch attacked. But the problem is that James plays center, and those teams with tall centers will continue to attack the Lakers inside. James couldn't hold on to the Lakers, let alone when James wasn't there. Like playing the Kings today, the Lakers were shot 23-of-30 by their opponents under the basket, shooting 76.7% of the shots against the sky.
The Lakers can't defend the basket, and occasionally they can prevent and have a high probability of losing rebounds in the backcourt, which means that the Lakers can't play a conversion offense. Without the conversion attack, Wei Shao's power was half smaller. Westbrook's 22.1 percent shot in the first 38 games was with 18-22 seconds left on offense, when he shot 49.6 percent. But recently, Westbrook's percentage of shots with 18-22 seconds left on offense has plummeted to 15 percent, and his shooting percentage is only 42.9 percent.
As for why Vogel insisted on playing small ball, why he insisted on not using Howard much, everything was not all for Wei Shao. Playing small balls, Wei Shao has room to break through, to break through the basket and pass assists. It's just clear that the sacrifices the Lakers have made to Wei Shao have not been rewarded. James, 37, Munch and Reeves, who are paid a base salary, have contributed all they can, but in the end they have worked hard but have been buried by Wei Shao.
What else can the Lakers do? The tricks have been exhausted, the vicious circle has been formed, and the Lakers have nothing to do. Vogel also did not have the courage to abandon Wei Shao at the key moment of the game, the Lakers now want to sell Wei Shao and can not sell, even Philadelphia, which is eager to send away Ben Simmons, has zero interest in Wei Shao, and the Lakers can only continue to stay up, until Davis, Nunn comeback, the Lakers restore the full lineup, and perhaps there is room for adjustment.
The Lakers themselves chose Wei Shao, and the next road is difficult to continue.