preface
After losing to the Timberwolves in a slump last game, the Lakers responded to coach Hamm's words with practical actions in their final game against the Warriors. Before the game against the Warriors, Hamm was in a rare rage at the team's positivity on the court, arguing that the Lakers now don't look like a team in desperate situations that needs to work absolutely hard in order to make the playoffs. Perhaps this paragraph woke up every Lakers player.
Facing the Warriors, who have won five straight games and are getting Curry back in time to help, the Lakers swept away their previous modest start and took an early lead of more than 20 points. But at such a moment, the Lakers' offense and defense began to loosen again, which gave the Warriors the opportunity to equalize or even overcome. However, the Lakers eventually won the rollercoaster game by 8 points. Of course, thick eyebrows are definitely the key core factor in the Lakers' win in this game, but there is another player on the bench who should also be praised. Lakers News: 5-of-9 shooting, 8 assists! But you were suppressed by Hamm, you really deserve to be taken seriously!
Hamm should revisit Schroeder, with thick eyebrows as the absolute core needs to make it easier for him, and you will be the best choice
In this game against the Warriors, the Lakers opened a lead of more than 20 points very quickly, but the maintenance of this advantage is also fleeting. The Warriors' three-point rain and taking advantage of the Lakers' sudden power outage on the offensive end quickly pulled the Lakers back to the same running line. However, in the subsequent games, the Lakers made sure that the thick eyebrows could receive the ball most of the time and act as the main attacker.
That allowed the Lakers to maintain a slim advantage throughout the game, and they brought it to the last minute of the game. Whenever Curry, Thompson or Poole step up and want to help the Warriors rally through outside play, thick eyebrows are always ready to "wreak" the inside at the other end of the court. But at the beginning of the second half, both teams' offensive form declined.
It was Reeves who stepped up at this moment, and Reeves played 28 minutes throughout the game, scoring very evenly in every quarter. But every time he scored, especially when the Warriors were closing the gap, Reeves could always make three-point shots on the flanks to close the door for the Warriors to chase points. With a limited number of shots, Reeves made his contribution to the Lakers in an extremely efficient way.
Reeves shot 5-of-9 for the team's second-most 16 points + 2 rebounds + 8 assists, and 3-of-5 from the outside. Defensively, he also has 1 steal + 1 block, plus or minus +11, and is the only player on the bench with a positive plus-minus. Comparing the playing time of Reeves and the number of shots he makes, as well as the final data, Hamm should look at this issue.
Why is it that a player like Reeves, who always brings great benefits to the team most of the time, does not gain enough tactical position? On the contrary, Schroder, who has only broken out once in the game against the Thunder during this time, is favored by Hamm, and even has become the "only" in Hamm's eyes. Yes, Schroeder again scored just 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting.
Moreover, Schroder is the only player in the Lakers' starting lineup with a negative plus or minus (-6). On top of that, Schroeder got 34 minutes of playing time, and he couldn't play any effective defense on the flanks. Facing backcourt singles such as Poole and Curry, Schroder has a great disadvantage in size and defensive speed. And Reeves not only made key three-pointers, but also actively participated in the fight for rebounds in the paint area.
Of course, when the game is pending, it is always the superstars of the two teams who dominate it. Thick Brow began his solo performance at the end, using two important free throws and an extremely tough baseline throw to help the Lakers seal a must-win victory. Vanderbilt also performed very well in this game, playing 23 minutes of playing time, scoring 10 points + 13 rebounds + 4 assists, ranking first on the team with a plus-minus of +25.
Yes, when you see Vanderbilt's playing time, you know I'm going to be upset with Hamm's tactical set-up again. For a starter, he played 24 minutes and was an extremely important defensive player on the team's flanks. Hamm put it in use with Gabriel, and fans familiar with the Lakers' current system should know very well that Gabriel needs to be "bundled" with thick eyebrows to maximize his role.
epilogue
For the Lakers, except for the rapid lead in the first quarter, which caught the Warriors off guard, they were "ugly" for most of the time after that. In addition to struggling on the offensive end, Schroder's outside defensive disadvantage was magnified again, but Reeves was like a shot in the arm on both ends of the offensive and defensive ends, and Brown's consistent projection helped the Lakers improve their record to 31-34.