Defending The “3” Could Be A Problem For the Lakers

by Ea34

It is becoming apparent that defending the 3-point shot will be one of the biggest defensive concerns for Los Angeles Lakers in 2007-08. Based on their early season results, it’s becoming obvious that in order to be successful, this team will have to defend the 3-point shot effectively. Barely two weeks into the season, and a troubling trend is developing- the Lakers cannot stop their opponents from getting clean looks at the basket from behind the 3-point line. In their three losses, and even in their most recent win, the Lakers have either allowed a player on the opposing team to light them up from 3-point land, or have allowed a clean look at a 3-pointer at a vital point in the game. However, in their two most convincing wins of the young season, in Phoenix against the Suns (9-28, 32.1%) and at home against the Utah Jazz (3-14, 21.4%), the Lakers’ opponents have had very limited success from behind the arc.

Granted, so far this is too small a sample from which to draw a definitive conclusion, but consider the following:

• On opening night against the Houston Rockets, the Lakers managed a miraculous 12-point comeback in under a minute and a half, only to surrender the game-winning 3-pointer to Shane Battier with just 3 seconds remaining, resulting in a 95-93 loss for the Lakers.

• Following the loss to Houston, the Lakers managed consecutive wins over Western Conference contenders Phoenix and Utah, as mentioned above, holding the two teams to a combined 12-for-42 (28.6%) from 3-point territory.

• In their 118-104 home loss to the New Orleans Hornets, the Lakers repeatedly left Peja Stojakovic, one of the NBA’s premier outside shooters, WIDE OPEN from the arc, as he made ten of his thirteen 3-point attempts on his way to 36 points in the victory.

• Tuesday in San Antonio, on a night where Tim Duncan and Michael Finley combined to shoot just 6-for-27 from field, the Lakers allowed Bruce Bowen to make all six of his three point attempts in the Spurs’ 107-92 win.

• Finally, Wednesday night in Houston, despite holding the Rockets to just 7-of-20 on their 3-point attempts, the Lakers, leading by three (after blowing a 17-point first half lead), put Yao Ming on the line for one free throw with 1.4 seconds remaining. After Yao (brilliantly) executed an intentional miss of a free throw, Derek Fisher left his man on the perimeter to chase the rebound, and Yao was able to find Rafer Alston for wide open 3-point attempt that, had it gone in, would have sent the game into overtime.

We’re seven games into the 2007-08 season, and it’s becoming apparent that the situation in LakerLand may not be as dire as once thought, and that the Los Angeles Lakers will probably exceed the expectations that many (myself included) had for them this season, but in order to realize its now-growing potential, this team needs to seriously improve its perimeter defense.

User:Ea34 covers the Lakers beat for ArmchairGM.