As the Lakers continued their disappointing form, Lamar Odom came up with a coaching strategy to help the struggling Los Angeles team.
The former NBA champion took to Twitter after the Lakers lost their fourth consecutive game and advised them to use a particular type of offense that would help Lebron James and Co. to thrive.
Lamar Odom’s advice to Lakers
Former NBA player and Lakers’ star, Lamar Odom decided to give a piece of advice to the abysmal Los Angeles Lakers who are currently on a four-game losing streak. The Lakers, under Lebron James and Anthony Davis have failed to click after they won the In-Season Tournament, having lost more games than they have won.
While both their stars have played to their usual best, it is the Lakers’ supporting cast that have let them down in their attempt to win games. Apart from their inability to knock down shots and maintain leads, the Lakers have also been shambolic in their defensive rotations, often leading teams to have mesmerizing shooting nights against the Purple and Gold.
The Lakers have also shown a sense of apathy to attempting shots. In a 14-point loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, the Lakers attempted 28 three-pointers while making just ten from them. Meanwhile the Grizzlies wreaked havoc on LA with a team-high 23 three-pointers. In the same game, the Grizzlies attempted a high of 45 three-pointers. While the Grizzlies made 23 three-pointers, the Lakers attempted 28 three-pointers in a loss that ended with the Grizzlies winning by 14.
To overcome their struggles, the former Lakers star, Lamar Odom advised them to use the triangle offense. An offensive strategy that worked out for the Bulls in the 90s and the Lakers in the early 2000s, the technique comprises of players forming triangles to facilitate their offense.
Lamar tweeted, “There is only 1 way to fix the Lakers… RUN THE TRIANGLE!!!!”
The triangle offense relies heavily on a lower-post player who essentially becomes the facilitator for the team and is the high point of each of the triangles formed. The five players on the court are organized into three different triangles, which call for easy passing lanes and open shooting opportunities. While the tactic thrived in the earlier settings, modern teams do not tend to use the triangle and instead, opt for variations in the triangle as the Golden State Warriors did under Steve Kerr.
Lakers NBA struggles continues
After their historic In-Season Tournament win, everything seems to be going wrong for the Lakers. Their mindset, their chemistry, and their ability to strike fear in opponents – all seemed to have disappeared following the tournament.
There is no beating around the bush. The Lakers have been miserable.
In their last 13 games, the 2020 NBA champions have won 3 games and lost 10. Even when both their leading stars perform well, the Lakers end up on the losing side of business. The reason? One could argue that Lakers’ coach Darvin Ham’s strategies for the Lakers have been beyond dreadful. An example of the same was the game against Memphis.
Memphis is team that shoots only 33.8% from the three-point line. Instead of attacking their weakness, the LA coach placed his defensive strategy is such a way that his players invited the Grizzlies and gifted them three-point opportunities. The same Grizzlies who shoot 33.8% ended the night against the Lakers with a massive 51.1 in which they made 23 threes. Pure lack of awareness from Darwin Ham.
Apart from coaching decision, the Lakers’ players too, have been underwhelming. Former Heat player, Gabe Vincent known for his catch and shoot abilities has failed to deliver for the Lakers completely.
A very frustrated Lebron James and Anthony Davis will hope their teammates step up in the bear future as the duo continue their quest for a second championship together. As the trade deadline nears, tough decisions will have to be made and the Lakers’ fans will hope to see a better effort from their players before the All-Star Game break.
Whether the Lakers will heed Lamar Odom’s advice is unknown, but changes have to be made to the team’s rotation in order to compete for victory.
What do you think of Lamar Odom’s advice to the Lakers? Can the Lakers contend for the championship this year? Who will the Lakers trade for before the NBA Trade deadline? We are eager to know your thoughts on this topic, so feel free to comment below.
