When the Los Angeles Lakers selected point guard Lonzo Ball with the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft there was a great deal of discussion about his shot. After all, he slings the ball to the basket in an unconventional style that is nowhere near aesthetically pleasing, raising questions about whether or not his shooting ability would translate to the NBA level.
This season, more often than not, Ball hasn’t been able to find the bottom of the net. He is currently mired in a dreadful shooting slump that is changing the way that teams are defending him.
On this episode of the Lakers Nation News Feed, host Trevor Lane discusses the problems that Ball’s wayward shooting creates for the team’s spacing, which is now having to deal with the challenges of teams leaving an extra man in the paint by not defending Ball.
As it currently stands, the offense greatly needs space to open up for driving lanes, which won’t happen as long as Ball isn’t converting his shots.
However, head coach Luke Walton also recently challenged Ball to be more aggressive in searching for his own scoring opportunities. So while his poor efficiency is a concern, it’s clear that the team wants him to continue pulling the trigger.
It’s also noteworthy that Ball has the confidence in his abilities to continue shooting even when he isn’t finding success.
Click on the player above to listen to the quick-hitter take.
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