Take your eye off the Ball: 3 important non Lonzo related Lakers developments
It's been a rough four years in Laker land - by far the worst stretch in the franchise's proud 70-year history - but excitement and expectations ran high in Hollywood coming into this season. And, while pie-in-the-sky playoff aspirations are still a distant proposition, the Lakers have indeed shown marked improvement - it just hasn't happened for the reason many expected.
Rookie point guard Lonzo Ball has had some moments, and his passing and rebounding are already plus skills, but for the most part, the much-hyped No. 2 overall pick has struggled at both ends of the floor. Ball is shooting 31.3 percent from the field, 25 percent from 3-point range, 50 percent from the free-throw line, and the Lakers have been 5.7 points per 100 possessions better with him on the bench.
So, how are they taking a step forward? Here are three factors that are contributing:
Dialing up the defense
Despite trotting out the NBA's youngest roster and playing at the third-fastest pace, the Lakers have put together the fourth-ranked defense through the first month of the season. They ranked dead last in the league a season ago.
At least one aspect of their massive defensive improvement feels unsustainable; their opponents have shot a league-worst 31.4 percent on threes, despite 55 percent of their attempts being deemed "wide open" (attempts on which their opponents have also shot a league-low 33 percent). But, the Lakers have also been extremely disciplined in ways that should be repeatable. Buoyed by the arrival of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Brook Lopez (yes, Brook Lopez), plus a lot of internal development, the Lakers are communicating and switching effectively, making crisp rotations, avoiding bad gambles, and using their tremendous collective length as a disruptive force without fouling.
They're among the league's best at preventing corner threes and keeping opponents off the free-throw line (ranking fifth and eighth, respectively). As a consequence, they allow a ton of shots at the rim, but they defend those shots extremely well, ranking sixth in block rate and ninth in opponent field-goal percentage in the restricted area. They're a top-10 defensive rebounding team, so finishing possessions hasn't been an issue. And, though coach Luke Walton has called them out for their poor effort in transition, they're middle of the pack in allowing points on the break, despite having the league's second-highest turnover rate.
The other rookie
Ball still gets the flashier headlines, but, if you're comparing the impact the Lakers' two 2017 first-round draft picks have made so far this season, it's been no contest.
Kyle Kuzma, who the Lakers plucked 27th overall in June, has been, by most measures, the second-best player in the class to date. A 6-foot-9 combo forward with guard skills, Kuzma jumped into the starting lineup when Larry Nance went down, and hasn't missed a beat. He's averaging 14.9 points and 6.8 rebounds, shooting 50.3 percent from the field, 32.1 percent from deep, and leading the Lakers in win shares. His defense is still catching up to NBA speed, but his instincts are mostly good, and owns the tools to get better on that end. He's already one of the team's most refined offensive players.
Despite the ho-hum long-range marksmanship, Kuzma hasn't been hesitant about letting it fly, and opposing teams mostly respect his jumper. Whether defenders sag off him or close out aggressively, he keeps the Lakers' offense moving by making snap decisions, and he's looked comfortable putting the ball on the floor. The team's effective field-goal percentage jumps almost four percent when he's in the game.
What a steal.
Revenge of the reserves
Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson, a pair of former Lakers darlings who appeared to have fallen out of favor with the organization, are now driving what's been a fierce, energetic second unit.
Randle is a savage rim-runner who knows only one speed, and while he hasn't developed as a jump-shooter the way the Lakers might've hoped, opposing teams have no idea what to do with him when he gathers a head of steam or catches the ball in the post. Randle cleans the defensive glass, and runs the break off misses; he can finish on the move and through contact; he's even protecting the rim a little. On a per-36-minute basis, he's averaging 21.1 points, 12.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.7 blocks, and he's been a part of three of the Lakers' four best five-man units (minimum 10 minutes).
Clarkson, meanwhile, is leading the Lakers in scoring (15.5) in just 21.4 minutes per game. But it's the way he's gone about getting those points that's been most impressive. He's been far more discerning about picking his spots, is finishing more effectively at the rim, and as a result, is blowing away his previous career-best shooting numbers, cashing in on 51.2 percent of his shots from the field and knocking down 40 percent from distance. Crucially, he's trimmed a ton of the fat from his shot profile, getting almost all his points from either the paint or beyond the arc. He's averaging 14.4 drives per 36 minutes, and shooting 63 percent on those drives. He's also been one of the league's most efficient scorers (78th percentile) as a ball-handler out of the pick-and-roll.
As Walton has worked in all the new young pieces, and juggled his rotation with an eye to the Lakers' long-term future, it's felt at times like Randle and Clarkson have been lost in the shuffle. They may be frustrated about that, but they've gone about channeling that frustration in a positive way, making strong cases for expanded roles. They've been ready when called upon, and have made the most of their minutes.