The Lakers, who wanted to defend their title last season, only achieved the "seventh round of the regular season in the West + a round trip to the playoffs", and frequent injuries made them spend a rather unsuccessful season. This led to last offseason, the Lakers management is eager to bring in the third big man, upgrade the existing championship lineup.
After all, judging from James' age and thick eyebrow injury history, it is difficult for them to maintain their dominance in the next season in the 19-20 season. Only the introduction of a third giant with sufficient strength is the key to solving the problem...
It's just that the Lakers management, although grasping the crux of the problem, did not select the right superstar player. Last offseason, the Lakers obviously had the opportunity to sign deRozan, Hield and other players whose technical characteristics were more suitable for the Lakers, but they finally chose Wei Shao, who had "once got MVP+ data more outstanding" and had greater personal fame.
The combination of the three giants of "Zhan Weimei" is strong on the surface, but in essence, it cannot play the expected performance
In the first few seasons before James, Thick Brow and Westbrook joined forces, they had all played superstar-level individual performances in a single season many times. Because of this, the Lakers' "Zhan Weimei" big three are also regarded as the only two "super big three" combinations in the league at the beginning of the season.
It's just that despite the Lakers' strong paper strength, they have not played the expected performance for most of the season. Not only have they lost to strong teams such as the Warriors, Suns, Bulls, and Bucks, but they have also lost to weak teams such as the Thunder, Knicks, Kings, and Spurs many times...
Before the end of the trading day in February this year, it was thought that the situation of "poor overall performance + poor performance of Wei Shao" would prompt the Lakers management to make an "earth-shattering deal". Who ever wanted to be before the end of the trading day, the Lakers management did not move at all, and the strength of the team was neither weakened nor strengthened.
So in the follow-up lineup did not change much, thick eyebrows and injuries missed the game, despite the recent James continued to erupt, but the Lakers' record is still not improving, has not been able to squeeze into the top eight in the West. So far, the Lakers as a whole have only achieved a record of 28 wins and 36 losses in the ninth place in the West.
That is to say, before the start of the season, the Lakers' "Zhan Weimei" big three looked quite intimidating, but the actual performance on the court was quite unbearable. The championship lineup built with them as the absolute core is now not even squeezed into the top eight in the West.
After doing nothing before the end of the trading day, in fact, no matter how the follow-up Lakers "counterattack" in the buyout market or the free market, they cannot make the current lineup complete the qualitative change. After all, James, Wei Shao, and Thick Brow alone have occupied nearly $120 million in salary space.
Otherwise, last year's Lakers management would not have to "cheaply" introduce veteran players such as Anthony, Ellington, Bradley, and Ariza. After all, although they still have a certain offensive ability, due to their age and physical decline, their defensive ability and enthusiasm have run out, and they simply cannot provide high-quality defense for the Lakers.
So, after missing the trading market, how can today's Lakers get out of the predicament?
1. Win a winning streak + squeeze into the top eight in the West to enhance the overall confidence of the team. Before the start of the new season, led by the "Zhan Weimei" big three, supplemented by Anthony, Howard, Ariza and other powerful veterans, not only the outside world has great expectations for them, I believe that the Lakers are also going up and down the championship trophy.
However, after more than half a season, the Lakers have not been able to play the expected results, and even fell out of the top eight in the West, ranking ninth in the West. Poor results and the atmosphere within the team have long since exhausted their self-confidence.
Nowadays, not only the outside world does not dare to guarantee that the Lakers with the big three can enter the playoffs, I believe that after the recent 3 wins and 8 losses, the Lakers up and down do not dare to say that they can steadily enter the playoffs and begin to fall into self-doubt.
So at present, no matter how many Lakers are ranked, what they need most is to usher in a wave of consecutive wins and lead the team to regain confidence. If the follow-up Lakers still lose and win more, even if they barely stabilize in the top ten of the West and get tickets to the playoffs. But having already lost their confidence, can they really break through two consecutive breakouts in the play-offs?
2) Putting Westbrook on the bench, or one of the best ways for the Lakers to get out of trouble. So far in the new season, Westbrook has averaged only 18.1 points, 7.6 boards and 7.1 assists per game, and his personal performance of shooting 43.4% from the field and 28.2% from three-point range. Compared with his peak, there has been a significant decline, especially in the performance on the offensive end of the field, which is "hot eyes".
And Wei Shao not only can't play the performance he deserves, but also greatly affects the play of James and Thick Brow. After all, when James and Westbrook are on the court at the same time, he not only needs to give up a lot of ball possession, but also needs to give up the offensive option of breaking through the basket and give up the opportunity to Westbrook.
Even thick eyebrows need to play the number five position for a long time because of Wei Shao, and constantly stay away from the basket. So so far in the new season, the reason why James and Thick Brow have not been able to play chemistry and fail to play dominance is actually because they are not in the most comfortable position and style of play.
Judging from the actual performance and effect of the field for most of the season, the Lakers management and coaching staff should indeed decisively put Wei Shao to the bench, so that it may also be able to activate the once dominant "Zhan Mei Combination". Because only the "Zhan Mei combination" returns to normal, Lakers have the opportunity to get out of the current predicament.
3. Whether the "Zhan Mei Combination" can remain healthy is the basis for the Lakers to get out of the predicament. So far in the new season, the reason why the Lakers have fallen into this situation is inseparable from frequent injuries. In particular, James and Thick Brow have missed many games due to injury in the season, resulting in the Lakers being unable to play their full strength...
Although thick eyebrows have not yet returned, judging from his injuries, thick eyebrows have a great chance to come back at the end of the season. At that time, as long as the Lakers can squeeze into the top eight in the west, under the leadership of the healthy "Zhan Mei Combination", no one dares to say that they do not have the possibility of "committing the following crimes".
In summary, as long as the follow-up Lakers can usher in a wave of consecutive wins and enhance the overall confidence of the team; and timely put Wei Shao on the bench to better partner the starting lineup; the Lakers do have a great chance to get out of the predicament before the start of the playoffs and restore the "glory" of the past.
However, if James and Thick Eyebrows can't stay healthy in this year's playoffs, then no matter how well the Lakers play at the end of the season, they still can't escape the fate of a round of travel. After all, whether James and Thick Eyebrows can stay healthy, but the Lakers' "following offenses" and getting out of the predicament lie...