The Los Angeles Lakers’ lackluster return to motion from the All-Star break continued on Sunday afternoon with a 123-113 loss to the Phoenix Suns. After capturing a season-low eight free throws within the defeat, the Lakers complained about “inconsistency” from the officers.
“I am not one to make use of referees as an excuse,” Lakers head coach Darvin Ham stated. “But it surely’s changing into more and more robust due to the inconsistency. I am seeing our guys get the identical contact on them as we’re supposedly committing. And the whistle will not be being blown.
“That is one thing we give attention to, attempting to win the free throw line each recreation. And in order that’s robust. I am telling my guys to drive downhill; we’re attempting to like and reside within the paint. And you are not getting calls. I see guys with their arms in our guys’ ribs or swinging, swiping at their heads, attempting to dam the shot however not getting the ball, however getting a chunk of the physique. And it isn’t being known as, so simple as that. So, we now have to determine methods to not let that be an issue, however it’s robust. Once more, it is irritating when there’s a lot inconsistency.”
The Lakers are sixth within the league in free throw makes an attempt per recreation at 24.3 and rating 16.0% of their factors from the road, which ranks eleventh within the league. They might be a lot increased within the latter class if not for the truth that they shoot simply 77.2% on foul photographs, a mark that checks in at nineteenth.
Whereas the league has trended ever extra towards 3-point capturing, the Lakers get to the road so regularly as a result of they nonetheless make use of an inside-out strategy. They’re second within the league in factors within the paint per recreation (55.4), fourth in post-ups per recreation (7.1) and final within the league in 3-point makes an attempt per recreation (30.8). In fact, the Lakers’ model and using LeBron James would not harm both.
They went with their normal strategy on Sunday, however didn’t get the calls this time.
“Lots of people, quite a lot of coaches, quite a lot of groups are like, ‘That is all of the Lakers do is get to the free throw line,'” James stated. “It is like this narrative on the market that that is all we do is get to the free throw line. I imply, we now have attackers. That is what we do. We now have attackers. Yeah, we shoot the ball from the perimeter, however we’re not capturing 40 to 50 3s a recreation. We’re not that workforce. We do not have the posh of being that workforce. So, working it into the paint, that is what we’re actually good at.
“To have eight free throw makes an attempt is certainly not us. I do know, positively, I bought hit a pair instances after I bought to the paint tonight that wasn’t known as. However it’s what it’s.”
The eight free throws weren’t solely a season-low, however tied for the fewest the workforce has shot in a recreation since James joined the workforce through the 2018-19 season. Additionally they shot eight free throws in 2019 win over the Miami Warmth and a 2021 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Only for the sake of comparability, the Lakers have shot 30 or extra free throws 96 instances since James joined the workforce, which is fifth-most amongst all groups in that point span.
