Los Angeles’ 3-Point Drought Deepens in Road Loss to Kings
los-angeles-3-point-drought-deepens-in-road-loss-to-kings
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Lakers dropped their third consecutive game Sunday night, falling 123-95 to the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center after another difficult evening from beyond the arc.
Head coach JJ Redick watched his club hit just 6 of 33 three-point attempts (18 percent), while Sacramento converted 17 of 26 (65 percent). Both teams entered the contest near the bottom of the NBA in three-point accuracy, yet the disparity at the line proved decisive.
Redick: “We can’t make a shot”
Speaking on Spectrum SportsNet after the game, Redick cited outside shooting as the story of the night — and, increasingly, the season.
“We can’t make a shot,” he said. “They’re right there with us statistically among the worst shooting teams in the league. That 65 percent is tied with Houston for the highest any team has hit all year. We were 28th in opponent three-point percentage before tonight; we’ll be 29th or 30th now.”
Redick noted the Lakers produced 50 potential assists but converted on only 21, a gap he said would have translated to a 24-point advantage on expected score. “This has been the theme,” he added. “Just keep shooting, I guess.”
The first-year coach reiterated that players must remain aggressive when open: “If you have a wide-open shot, you have to take a wide-open shot.”
Defending the Line Also an Issue
Los Angeles continues to struggle at the other end of the floor as well. Although the Lakers had ranked among the NBA’s better defenses over the previous seven games, they could not slow Sacramento’s perimeter barrage. “We just faced a hot shooting team tonight,” Redick said.
Skid Erodes Strong Start
After a promising opening month, the Lakers have now lost seven of their last 11. Injuries and inconsistent effort have compounded shooting woes, leaving the coaching staff searching for workable combinations.
Hachimura’s Return Brings Lineup Questions
Forward Rui Hachimura, one of the league’s most efficient three-point shooters this season, is expected back in the lineup Tuesday. While his return should add spacing, Redick acknowledged he remains undecided about the starting five once the roster is fully healthy, noting Hachimura’s uneven fit with the first unit earlier in the year.
The Lakers will try to halt their slide and rediscover their touch from deep when they resume play at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night.
Source: LakersNation.com
