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The LA Lakers are currently one of the worst teams in the NBA with regards to shooting. NBA analyst Nick Wright has called out the Lakers' general manager Rob Pelinka for putting together this roster.
After two games, the Lakers have attempted 85 3-pointers and have converted only 18. In a league dominated by 3-point shooting, the Lakers will undoubtedly struggle.
Fans and pundits have seen enough two games in, and do not see the Lakers performing better. They lost their first two games against early favorites in the Western Conference.
For Wright, the bulk of the blame is on Pelinka for putting together this roster. Although the Lakers went after athletic players because they were outrun last season, they still did not acquire a dedicated sharpshooter.
On "First Things First," Wright ripped into Pelinka for his role in the team's struggles. He said the Lakers gm has consistently failed to acknowledge the 3-point line when putting together a roster.
"If Rob Pelinka's defense attorney were here, what he'd be saying I'm sure is, 'Listen, we're going to trade Russ eventually off the record. However, we're gonna wait and see if something better than - we know (Myles) Turner and (Buddy) Hield are available. We're gonna wait and see if something better develops.'"
After pointing out that it might be too late for the Lakers later on, he continued:
"That doesn't justify two straight postseasons of building out a roster as if the 3-point line didn't exist, which is what they've done."
History has shown that having a sharpshooter in a team with LeBron James is a recipe for success. He is one of the few players who can collapse the defense and find the open man on the perimeter.
LeBron James says he loves the way the Lakers are playing
The Lakers are yet to register their first win in the 2022-23 NBA season. While James is undoubtedly not thrilled with the results, he believes the team is on the right track.
Speaking after the narrow loss to the LA Clippers, he highlighted that they are a new group and will figure it out soon. He believes their defense will put them in a good place but they would have to convert on the offensive end.
"I love the way we're playing basketball right now. We're sharing the ball offensively, we're moving bodies. I think we will begin to knock down shots as we continue to know who we wanna be on the floor.
"I'm definitely not gonna sit here and harp on what we can't do every single game. That's not a leader. What I know we can do, we can defend our a** off."
Can the Lakers contest for the 2023 NBA title without 3-point shooting?
The modern NBA is centered around 3-point shooting. It would be difficult to see a team go all the way with all of their shots coming from inside the 3-point line.
Without that ability, teams will have an easier time defending, regardless of the talent on the roster. Teams have already started to stack the paint, giving the Lakers several open looks.
However, the Lakers are much improved defensively compared to last year. It has often been said that defense wins championships. If they can successfully limit their opponent's scoring, they have a fair shot at making a deep run in the playoffs.
Guess the Lakers players!
