The Los Angeles Lakers, the former in-season tournament winners, have now suffered back-to-back defeats in recent games, which makes people sigh. In their most recent game, they lost 108-124 to the Chicago Bulls. This once-glorious team is now facing a difficult situation.
Former Lakers five-time guard Derrick Fisher also expressed disappointment with his team's performance, arguing that the relaxation of the players after winning the championship in the season led to an offensive disadvantage, which is the root cause of the Lakers' successive defeats. Fisher noted that the team must change the way they attack, increase the pace of the game and create more scoring opportunities for everyone. However, the Lakers' offensive performance was not optimistic, ranking 17th in the league in points per game and 24th in three-point shooting percentage.
Aside from Anthony Davis and LeBron James, the Lakers have had little consistent scoring point, which is very different from their championship-winning roster. The current team urgently needs to adjust the style of play and increase the attacking speed in order to find a breakthrough. Lakers head coach Darvin Ham has been defense-oriented, but after the in-season tournament, the team's defensive standards have not been maintained. In addition, the Lakers' lack of excellent shooters and efficient three-point shooters is also a major problem for them on offense.
It has been suggested that the Lakers should consider reusing James as a point guard, but that would also require a better shooter to match. In the current situation, some people think that trading D'Angelo Russell and Hachimura to get Zach LaVine is a good option. Zach LaVine, who averaged 21 points per game in the new season, has significant ability on the offensive end, as well as a leader and mentality. Such a trade could breathe new life into the Lakers and break the current deadlock.
Overall, the Los Angeles Lakers' current predicament is mainly focused on the lack of offense and the decline in defensive standards. The team will need to revisit their tactics and line-up in order to make a breakthrough. And trading for Zach LaVine may bring a new dawn to the team. In this uncertain season, the Lakers need to find a solution to the problem as soon as possible and get back on winning track.
The Lakers have had a rough season as they finished in the top five in the West at one point, but their recent performance has put them in danger of missing out on the playoffs. With a 15-13 record, they currently sit in 8th place in the West. They have only a 1-4 record in the last two weeks, which makes them a tough challenge in the playoff race. The Lakers urgently need to change the status quo or they could miss out on a playoff opportunity.