NBA
Early Los Angeles Lakers Preseason Takeaways
Lakers basketball is finally back, and although it is only preseason, there is a lot to look forward to. LeBron James has made his long awaited debut in a Lakers uniform at Staples Center. Lakers’ fans all around the world, including myself, cannot wait for October 18th to get here.
The Lakers are 1-3 in the preseason and have played the Denver Nuggets twice. James is averaging 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists per game this preseason. For many, including myself, it is weird to see LeBron James in a Laker jersey. However, there is more to this team than James and there are some big early preseason takeaways that need to be analyzed.
LeBron James Has Plenty Left In The Tank
After arguably his best season ever in year 15 and at age 33, many people wondered just how long James could maintain his level of play. If the first two preseason games are any indication, the answer is a good while. James did it all in his second preseason game with the Lakers. He had 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals in 15 minutes. There have been reports that James would look to play off the ball a lot more this season, but that has not been the case. The offense has been ran through James thus far.
James is the early favorite to win MVP this season. If he can put together a 27-8-8 stat line and win 54+ games, the award is his. Last year, the Lakers struggled without a dominant player in half court sets. James will change that significantly. Also, James’ presence alone is going to give his teammates regular opportunities for easy baskets.
Brandon Ingram WIll Be LeBron’s New Favorite Teammate
One of the biggest factors as to how far the Lakers will go this year is Brandon Ingram. James has spoke highly of Ingram saying, “Brandon Ingram has the juice… that guy is going to be special.” Ingram had a solid sophomore season, averaging 16.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 3.9 AST per game. James found Ingram for two of his three assists cutting to the basket in the preseason opener. Ingram’s off-ball offense has drastically improved, and with James’ playmaking, they have all the makeup to be a dynamic duo.
Ingram in the preseason so far is averaging 15.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 1.5 SPG. In the third preseason game against the Sacramento Kings, Ingram had an impressive stat line. He scored 31 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Ingram has shown he can use his length to his advantage, and is starting to develop into a solid two-way player.
One of Ingram’s biggest strengths is his ability to finish around the rim. There were numerous times when Ingram did a Euro step or switched hands in mid air and made extremely difficult layups. The expectations are high for Ingram, but with James feeding him the rock, Ingram can easily become a 20 PPG scorer.
Patience Is Key
There are many fans with very unrealistic expectations for this Lakers team. Based on what I’ve seen from this team, they will start off very slow this season. A potential 12-13 start isn’t unrealistic by any means. However, James led teams have a history of getting off to slow starts. Plus, being on a new team and a part of a new system, this year’s Lakers team will be no different.
James knows that it does not make sense to play your best basketball from October-January. February-April is when I would expect the Lakers to be playing their best basketball. The Lakers are a young team that needs home court advantage in at least one playoff series in order to make some type of impact. Lakers fans, relax, take a deep breath. Patience is key and everything will be just fine in the James Era.
Photo Credit
Raheel Memon via Flickr
