Los Angeles Lakers News: Malik Monk Returns to Form, but the Defense Fails the Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers were defeated by the Phoenix Suns 117-105.
On Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Phoenix Suns. While there were a few glimmers of hope, the problems were far greater than the rays of brightness. I apologize for the poor taste in my writing.
“The Yellow Melo
Because Carmelo Anthony’s statistics weren’t spectacular, they won’t be shown on ESPN. The figures belie how impressive Anthony appeared. He dominated the paint, proved he still had quickness off the dribble, and demonstrated how simple it is for one of the NBA’s all-time great scorers to get a bucket. “I get buckets,” as Uncle Drew proclaimed in the Pepsi commercial. Frank Vogel, the team’s head coach, was all praise for Anthony.
“There’s a reason he’s here. He’s going after the right opponents in the right situations. He’ll be given the go-ahead. He’ll also assist us in other ways. As a result, when the ball is in Russ and LeBron’s hands, he’ll serve as a floor-spacer for the team. The thing about Melo that we admire is his adaptability.”
The Monk, Malik
Malik Monk was the best-kept secret among the Lakers’ offseason acquisitions. Monk had a game-high 18 points on 7-11 shooting, including 4-7 from outside the arc. He’s played well in two preseason games for the Laker.
Defense Legs and Arms
Defensively, the Lakers were mediocre at best. The purple and gold players were regularly late for rotations, and they appeared to be lost quite often. Early preseason performances by DeAndre Jordan are alarming. Of course, his legs lack the spring they did when he was younger. That’s not something anyone is anticipating. Until Jordan was defending him, JaVale McGee looked like the next Kareem when he burned him. He couldn’t finish at the rim like he used to, and he appeared uninspired. No one expects a return to lob city from Jordan, who is in the latter stages of his career and is unlikely to play a significant role in the Lakers’ upcoming series against the Sacramento Kings and Washington Wizards. He only played in the second preseason game, so there’s still hope.
Lastly, consider the following:
Outside shooting and interior rebounding were problems for the Lakers, but they shouldn’t be that lopsided as long as they have the core players and starters. LeBron James and Russell Westbrook are both capable of rebounding and shooting from outside.Overanalyzing preseason games is a stupid thing to do, but it’s something that every NBA fan does.
On Friday, the Lakers will face the Warriors at 7 p.m. Pacific Time.
also see source:
Lakers News: Malik Monk Shines Again, Lakers Defense Struggles
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