At this level, Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley mentioned, the information isn’t anyplace full sufficient for a workforce to make any actual statistical evaluations.
However, Mosley mentioned earlier than Saturday’s recreation towards the Lakers, it’s by no means too early to be looking out for tendencies. And for the workforce his Magic defeated, there’s one development staring it within the face.
The Lakers had been principally an uninspired mess in Orlando, a workforce beset by all types of issues in a 120-101 loss to the Magic. They set sloppy screens. They performed with restricted offensive rhythm, relying an excessive amount of on isolation. They struggled to knock down pictures. They bought overwhelmed backdoor, and so they couldn’t include dribble penetration.
However greater than something — and at this level, it’s the trendiest development — the Lakers had been dominated on the glass, Orlando extending possession after possession whereas the Lakers stood, arms at their sides and arms on their hips.
The Magic had 19 offensive rebounds resulting in 36 second-chance factors, every one serving as a backbreaker for a Lakers protection that was having a tough sufficient time getting stops.
Groups have outscored the Lakers 117-54 on second-chance factors by way of six video games this season, a crippling deficiency they’ve needed to battle towards every time they’ve performed.
“You possibly can’t scheme rebounding. You’ve bought to need to get the rattling ball. Plain and easy,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham mentioned after the loss. “The shot goes up, in case your opponent is in your space, you’ve bought to get hits, put our bodies on our bodies and be essentially the most aggressive one to the ball. That’s it. There’s no play I can draw as much as get extra rebounds.”
Ham mentioned it’s easy.
“The sport mainly comes right down to method, psychological method. Their vitality, their effort, they outworked us,” Ham mentioned. “And due to that vitality and energy, they noticed the ball go in. They did an important job of simply enjoying quick repeatedly, protecting for each other defensively and simply pounding us on the glass. It’s an enormous, large step backwards for us when it comes to our defensive rebounding.”
The Lakers, once more, had been short-handed, their common rotation hit arduous for the second straight recreation.
Gabe Vincent will sit out no less than two weeks as he offers with knee swelling. Taurean Prince sat out his second recreation in a row with what the Lakers are calling “patellar tendinitis.” Rui Hachimura remains to be in concussion protocols. And Jarred Vanderbilt remains to be restricted to stationary on-court work in his restoration from a heel harm.
Rookie Jalen Hood-Schifino has additionally been out since late within the preseason after hyperextending his knee.
Lakers ahead Anthony Davis and Magic guard Anthony Black chase down a unfastened ball within the lane in the course of the first half Saturday.
(Gary McCullough / Related Press)
Hachimura was on the court docket for shootaround Saturday morning, an indication that he may very well be nearing a return. Identical for Prince, Ham mentioned, including the 2 can be again “ahead of later,” with each scheduled for evaluations Sunday forward of the sport Monday in Miami.
Their return would, partly, assist the Lakers get higher on the boards.
“It’s not so simple as simply boxing out. If the man’s larger than you, he’s merely larger than you. You possibly can field out however nonetheless lose the offensive rebound battle for positive,” LeBron James mentioned. “We’ve seen that loads of occasions. But it surely positively helps when you will have larger our bodies. I imply, we have now three of our larger our bodies out proper with accidents in Rui, Vando and TP. So, I imply, it will assist. However we positively bought to do a greater job of once we do field out of serving to.”
Cam Reddish, one of many defensive stars within the Lakers’ comeback win towards the Clippers on Wednesday, began once more for Prince. However not like that recreation, he wasn’t capable of generate the identical form of profitable performs on both finish of the court docket.
Identical for backup massive man Jaxson Hayes, who was known as for 2 unlawful screens in his 11 minutes on the court docket.
D’Angelo Russell additionally struggled, lacking 9 of his 10 three-point pictures whereas scoring simply 11 factors.
Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 28 factors, 13 rebounds and 7 blocked pictures. James had 24 factors, and Austin Reaves scored 20.
Franz Wagner had 26 factors and Paolo Banchero added 25 for the Magic, who had been with out starters Wendell Carter Jr. and Markelle Fultz and key reserve Gary Harris.
The Lakers, for the fifth time in six video games, trailed by no less than 10 within the first quarter, and the Magic‘s lead would develop to as many as 25 within the second half earlier than the Lakers made a run.
Reaves and Russell each had possibilities to hit pictures to chop the result in 10 however neither fell.
“Different groups are popping out and enjoying slightly bit extra aggressive,” Davis mentioned. “It’s not even a ability or expertise. It’s the offensive rebounds, turnovers resulting in transition factors, 50-50 balls. It’s these forms of performs that get us down.”
Requested if he anticipated groups testing the Lakers’ on the boards extra going ahead, he didn’t hesitate.
“I imply, I’d,” he mentioned. “The scouting report: assault the glass, get out and run. I imply, that’s been our Achilles heel. That’s what’s going to lose us video games. We all know our downside. We bought to repair it.”
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