The Los Angeles Lakers’ shooting woes carried into Opening Night of the 2022-23 season, playing a big role in the 123-109 loss to the Golden State Warriors.
L.A. shot just 28.6% from 3-point range in the lead-up to the new campaign’s tip-off, adding substance to the worries that the lack of shooters on the roster could haunt them in 2022-23. And just like in the preseason, the Lakers enjoyed plenty of open looks against the Warriors on Tuesday but ended up going 10-for-40 (25%) from beyond the arc.
Asked about how the Purple and Gold can improve their aim, head coach Darvin Ham said his players need to simply keep putting in the extra reps in practice, via Spectrum SportsNet:
It’s a make-or-miss league. We just got to continue to get the reps, get them up and practice, get them up at shootaround, you know, individual workouts. We do our vitamins. We just got to continue to shoot, shoot, shoot, you know, repetition. You become better at anything with more reps. So you just got to get them up. I was really pleased, though, how we defended the three point line in the first half. I think they were 5-for-20, we were 3-for-21. But we just got there all open looks. That’s designed within the system. Guys just got to step up and knock down shots. It’s not nothing to be explained in that regard.
Kendrick Nunn was the Lakers’ best shooter against the Warriors, knocking down three triples on six attempts. Meanwhile, LeBron James went 3-for-10 from downtown but, after a slow start, still nearly finished the night with a triple-double, recording 31 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists.
James candid about Lakers’ shooting struggles
After the Lakers failed to spoil the Warriors’ ring night, James was particularly honest about L.A.’s lack of shooting. “I think we’re getting great looks and I think there also could be teams giving us great looks. I mean, to be completely honest, we’re not a team that’s constructed of great shooting and that’s just what the truth of the matter is,” he said.
“It’s not like we’re sitting here with a lot of lasers on our team, but that doesn’t deter us from still trying to get great shots and when you get those opportunities you take them.
“But we’re not sitting here with a bunch of 40-plus [percent] career three-point shooting guys.”
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