Lakers Preseason Review
Dec 2, 2013 1:09:04 GMT
Post by Jestor on Dec 2, 2013 1:09:04 GMT
6-2 Record A Good Forecast?
Andrew Bynum certainly didn't hold back during the preseason
The Los Angeles Lakers believed after the dispersal draft that they had the pieces to challenge for a championship as early as the NAH's first season. The team finished 6-2 in the preseason, with their losses a combined 7 points (5 point road loss at Denver, 2 point road loss at Dallas), and confidence is high following the slate.
Point Guards
Ty Lawson greatly impressed with his shooting in the preseason
Ty Lawson
Averaged 18.4 points, 7.4 assists and a steal per game with a 2.0 A/TO ratio. Wowed the coaching staff with 49.5% shooting, 34.6% behind the arc, showing he'll adapt fine to the NAH rules. The Lakers' coaching staff will want to see him improve his handling as the season goes on, and will work with Lawson on developing that part of his game. 100% drive stop rate (22 drives faced), 1.8 TOFC, and 1.0 PA/SF. and a +10.1 ON/+7.4 NET. The second of the Purple and Gold's Big Three.
Eric Maynor
Had a very quiet preseason, averaging just 10 minutes a game, but in those opportunities, he posted a breathtaking 8.5 A/TO ratio and stopped 91.9% of drives faced with a 0.7 PA/SF mark. Certainly he's not nearly as explosive as Lawson is, but the Lakers' front office absolutely loves him as a #2 point guard able to step in case something happens to their other young floor general.
Allen Iverson
The Answer looked like he didn't miss a beat as the backup SG, averaging 5.9 points and 0.8 steals, shooting 51.9% and 62.5% from behind the 3 point line. Defensively he stopped 91.5% of drives, forced 1.5 turnovers, and had a 0.8 PA/SF ratio. Not a bad production line at all for a 36 year old playing just 12.9 minutes a game. In fact, there's a chance he may get some starts at SG if the Lakers' swingmen continue to struggle with their shooting.
Shooting Guards
Danny Green (L) compensated for poor shooting with shutdown defensive skills
J.J. Redick
Perhaps no one on the Lakers had a more unbelievable preseason than Redick, who shot a horrific 28.9% and 19.2% from the 3 point line, numbers completely out of character for him. Needless to say his 8.3 points and 1.6 steals per game were quite inefficient, and the only thing that might keep him in the lineup with his awful shooting and pedestrian overall defense (64.6% drive stop rate) are his 0.9 PA/SF and 3.3 turnovers forced. Otherwise, Iverson, who is one of GM Jestor's favorite players of all time, is waiting in the wings.
Danny Green
Both of the Lakers' starting swingmen struggled shooting, as Green hit just 34.8% overall. The good news is, he matched that from 3 point range and averaged 8.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 0.8 blocks, and also stopped 100% of drives faced with a starters-best 0.7 PA/SF ratio. His defensive prowess made him a hair behind Lawson with a +10 ON and +7.1 NET, and for now, he's safe as the team's starting SF.
Richard Hamilton
Rip didn't get any playing time during the preseason, which he was extremely upset about. But if Redick falters, he may get his crack at the lineup over Iverson, as Rudy Tomjanovich[b/] reportedly wants to conserve Iverson for the playoffs.
Charles Jenkins
Like Hamilton, didn't see the court in preseason. A project player the Lakers see potentially turning into a 6th man combo guard down the line, and a potential replacement for Iverson as the team's backup SG next season, should they decide to re-sign Jenkins and Iverson retires.
Small Forwards
Al-Farouq Aminu easily beat out Kyle Singler for the right to backup Green
Al-Farouq Aminu
Played scant minutes as he was in a timeshare with Singler for backup SF minutes to Green, but nonetheless still shot 50% overall, stopped 87.5% of drives and had a 0.9 PA/SF. He also had a +2.8 ON, beating Singler in that category. Although he's a low-usage player, as he put up no noteworthy stats even averaging 10 minutes a game the last three contests, one could do much worse than the third year player. Then again, he may end up trade bait, given the team's depth at swingman.
Kyle Singler
38.5% shooting is no way to win playing time, even if the defense (75% drive stop rate - team-high 0.6 PA/SF) is surprisingly effective. On the other hand, Aminu forced a turnover per game and Singler had a team-low 0.3. The Duke alum will stick around for financial reasons, but it's hard to see him having a meaningful impact on the team any time soon.
Luke Walton
Didn't play a minute during preseason after being signed in free agency, but his stellar ballhandling skills always have a place on a Jestorball team. Don't expect him to crack the rotation unless there's a rash of injuries, however. There's simply too many other options.
Big Men (Since there's no native PFs on the roster)
Pro Tip: Jestorball doesn't have Chris Bosh shoot 3s
Chris Bosh
The Lakers got a very fair and interesting trade offer for Bosh and Kendrick Perkins shortly after the dispersal draft, but the front office rejected it. The Dinosaur rewarded the front office with 17.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and a team high 2 steals per game, shooting 49.5% from the floor. But he was perhaps even better defensively, with a 76.2% drive stop rate, 0.8 PA/SF ratio, and most astoundingly, 3.8 TOFC per game, good for 6th in the league. Said a team official, "There's zero chance we let our dinosaur go. He fits in too well with us, especially when he learns to go inside more."
Andrew Bynum
And then there's The Chosen One - 28.3 points, 14.9 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 3.1 blocks on 55.8% shooting. That made him #3 in scoring, #1 in rebounds, and #1 in blocks for the entire league in the preseason. Want his defensive stats? 35.5% drive stop rate, 2 turnovers forced, 0.8 PA/SF, but with Bosh there to clog up the drives, Bynum's inability to stop them isn't so much an issue. Needless to say, he goes into the season as an MVP contender alongside Lebron James and Kevin Durant.
Kendrick Perkins
Averaged 8.6 points and 1.4 blocks a game, shooting 50% from the floor. Forced 1.1 turnovers and 0.7 PA/SF, though his stop drive numbers (35%) were on par with Bynum's. The only Laker with a negative ON (-0.5), he's been rumored to be in trade talks and will likely see himself moved at some point during the year, thanks to the Lakers' love of the next player on the list.
Ronny Turiaf
4.5 points, 0.9 steals and a block per game and an eye-popping 60% shooting. Stopped 69.2% of drives with 0.7 PA/SF ratio and is one of the front office's very favorite players on this roster that's quite a few favorites. Rumor has it some in the organization believe Turiaf could become the third big man as a 6th man role and the Lakers wouldn't miss a bear.
Projections
Championship or bust, really. And of course, all eyes will be on the Lakers to see if they can finally break the Jestor curse of never having won a division title.
Andrew Bynum certainly didn't hold back during the preseason
The Los Angeles Lakers believed after the dispersal draft that they had the pieces to challenge for a championship as early as the NAH's first season. The team finished 6-2 in the preseason, with their losses a combined 7 points (5 point road loss at Denver, 2 point road loss at Dallas), and confidence is high following the slate.
Point Guards
Ty Lawson greatly impressed with his shooting in the preseason
Ty Lawson
Averaged 18.4 points, 7.4 assists and a steal per game with a 2.0 A/TO ratio. Wowed the coaching staff with 49.5% shooting, 34.6% behind the arc, showing he'll adapt fine to the NAH rules. The Lakers' coaching staff will want to see him improve his handling as the season goes on, and will work with Lawson on developing that part of his game. 100% drive stop rate (22 drives faced), 1.8 TOFC, and 1.0 PA/SF. and a +10.1 ON/+7.4 NET. The second of the Purple and Gold's Big Three.
Eric Maynor
Had a very quiet preseason, averaging just 10 minutes a game, but in those opportunities, he posted a breathtaking 8.5 A/TO ratio and stopped 91.9% of drives faced with a 0.7 PA/SF mark. Certainly he's not nearly as explosive as Lawson is, but the Lakers' front office absolutely loves him as a #2 point guard able to step in case something happens to their other young floor general.
Allen Iverson
The Answer looked like he didn't miss a beat as the backup SG, averaging 5.9 points and 0.8 steals, shooting 51.9% and 62.5% from behind the 3 point line. Defensively he stopped 91.5% of drives, forced 1.5 turnovers, and had a 0.8 PA/SF ratio. Not a bad production line at all for a 36 year old playing just 12.9 minutes a game. In fact, there's a chance he may get some starts at SG if the Lakers' swingmen continue to struggle with their shooting.
Shooting Guards
Danny Green (L) compensated for poor shooting with shutdown defensive skills
J.J. Redick
Perhaps no one on the Lakers had a more unbelievable preseason than Redick, who shot a horrific 28.9% and 19.2% from the 3 point line, numbers completely out of character for him. Needless to say his 8.3 points and 1.6 steals per game were quite inefficient, and the only thing that might keep him in the lineup with his awful shooting and pedestrian overall defense (64.6% drive stop rate) are his 0.9 PA/SF and 3.3 turnovers forced. Otherwise, Iverson, who is one of GM Jestor's favorite players of all time, is waiting in the wings.
Danny Green
Both of the Lakers' starting swingmen struggled shooting, as Green hit just 34.8% overall. The good news is, he matched that from 3 point range and averaged 8.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 0.8 blocks, and also stopped 100% of drives faced with a starters-best 0.7 PA/SF ratio. His defensive prowess made him a hair behind Lawson with a +10 ON and +7.1 NET, and for now, he's safe as the team's starting SF.
Richard Hamilton
Rip didn't get any playing time during the preseason, which he was extremely upset about. But if Redick falters, he may get his crack at the lineup over Iverson, as Rudy Tomjanovich[b/] reportedly wants to conserve Iverson for the playoffs.
Charles Jenkins
Like Hamilton, didn't see the court in preseason. A project player the Lakers see potentially turning into a 6th man combo guard down the line, and a potential replacement for Iverson as the team's backup SG next season, should they decide to re-sign Jenkins and Iverson retires.
Small Forwards
Al-Farouq Aminu easily beat out Kyle Singler for the right to backup Green
Al-Farouq Aminu
Played scant minutes as he was in a timeshare with Singler for backup SF minutes to Green, but nonetheless still shot 50% overall, stopped 87.5% of drives and had a 0.9 PA/SF. He also had a +2.8 ON, beating Singler in that category. Although he's a low-usage player, as he put up no noteworthy stats even averaging 10 minutes a game the last three contests, one could do much worse than the third year player. Then again, he may end up trade bait, given the team's depth at swingman.
Kyle Singler
38.5% shooting is no way to win playing time, even if the defense (75% drive stop rate - team-high 0.6 PA/SF) is surprisingly effective. On the other hand, Aminu forced a turnover per game and Singler had a team-low 0.3. The Duke alum will stick around for financial reasons, but it's hard to see him having a meaningful impact on the team any time soon.
Luke Walton
Didn't play a minute during preseason after being signed in free agency, but his stellar ballhandling skills always have a place on a Jestorball team. Don't expect him to crack the rotation unless there's a rash of injuries, however. There's simply too many other options.
Big Men (Since there's no native PFs on the roster)
Pro Tip: Jestorball doesn't have Chris Bosh shoot 3s
Chris Bosh
The Lakers got a very fair and interesting trade offer for Bosh and Kendrick Perkins shortly after the dispersal draft, but the front office rejected it. The Dinosaur rewarded the front office with 17.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and a team high 2 steals per game, shooting 49.5% from the floor. But he was perhaps even better defensively, with a 76.2% drive stop rate, 0.8 PA/SF ratio, and most astoundingly, 3.8 TOFC per game, good for 6th in the league. Said a team official, "There's zero chance we let our dinosaur go. He fits in too well with us, especially when he learns to go inside more."
Andrew Bynum
And then there's The Chosen One - 28.3 points, 14.9 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 3.1 blocks on 55.8% shooting. That made him #3 in scoring, #1 in rebounds, and #1 in blocks for the entire league in the preseason. Want his defensive stats? 35.5% drive stop rate, 2 turnovers forced, 0.8 PA/SF, but with Bosh there to clog up the drives, Bynum's inability to stop them isn't so much an issue. Needless to say, he goes into the season as an MVP contender alongside Lebron James and Kevin Durant.
Kendrick Perkins
Averaged 8.6 points and 1.4 blocks a game, shooting 50% from the floor. Forced 1.1 turnovers and 0.7 PA/SF, though his stop drive numbers (35%) were on par with Bynum's. The only Laker with a negative ON (-0.5), he's been rumored to be in trade talks and will likely see himself moved at some point during the year, thanks to the Lakers' love of the next player on the list.
Ronny Turiaf
4.5 points, 0.9 steals and a block per game and an eye-popping 60% shooting. Stopped 69.2% of drives with 0.7 PA/SF ratio and is one of the front office's very favorite players on this roster that's quite a few favorites. Rumor has it some in the organization believe Turiaf could become the third big man as a 6th man role and the Lakers wouldn't miss a bear.
Projections
Championship or bust, really. And of course, all eyes will be on the Lakers to see if they can finally break the Jestor curse of never having won a division title.