The third quarter has been an issue for the Los Angeles Lakers for years now and it once again reared its head in their season opener against the Golden State Warriors. A one-point game at halftime grew to a 17-point deficit as the Lakers were outscored 19-4 to start the third quarter in their 10-point loss.
Austin Reaves had a good night with 26 points and nine assists, but the story coming out of this contest was the Lakers continued issues coming out of halftime. And when it comes to that, Reaves put the blame on the players, not JJ Redick and the coaching staff.
“We’ve just been bad third quarter,” Reaves said. “Last couple of years for sure, but I think ever since I’ve been here, we’ve had a problem with the third quarter. So, just got to figure out a way to come out with a little more energy. First thing JJ talked about after was just figuring out a way to be better in that third quarter. That’s on us players, that’s not on the coaches. They come in here and give us the answers to the test, and we just didn’t come out and execute. So, that’s on us, and we have to be better.”
Reaves saying this is extremely important as he doesn’t believe it’s a matter of scheme or strategy. He feels the coaches are telling the Lakers what they need to do to be successful, but the players simply aren’t executing it. The Lakers had stretches against the Warriors and even in the preseason, but haven’t put it together for a full game.
“I think it’s time,” Reaves noted in terms of why the Lakers haven’t put things together just yet. “We haven’t had a lot of time together as a complete group. Obviously, we’re still not complete. But we’re just going to continue to build and get better and learn how to play alongside one another. I mean, I had five turnovers tonight. I don’t think a couple of them were just dumb, but a couple of them were just miscommunications on where I needed to throw a pass to DA. It wasn’t the wrong read. It was the wrong pass at the right time, basically. So it’s just like learning those little things, and you learn those on the fly.”
“You think about all the good teams that’s in NBA history. All those teams kind of played together as a core for a long time and know how to play alongside one another. You look at them over there. Like Steph [Curry] knows or Draymond [Green] knows exactly where Steph wants it, vice versa. So just getting those reps together.”
And that lack of chemistry showed itself with the 19 turnovers the Lakers committed. L.A. also struggled from the free throw line and from deep, but Reaves feels those are things the Lakers can improve upon.
“Yeah. If we do better in all those, we’ll have a better chance to win. And I led the group tonight in turnovers, so point the finger at me.”
Reaves and the rest of the Lakers all need to be better, but with more time and game reps things should fall into place and this team will begin to realize its potential.
Lakers center Deandre Ayton discusses pick-and-roll chemistry with Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves
As Austin Reaves spoke about, he is still figuring out the chemistry with big man Deandre Ayton on the pick-and-rolls and some of those miscommunications led to those turnovers. But Ayton also spoke on this as well, admitting his style on the pick-and-roll is likely a bit confusing to both Reaves and Luka Doncic.
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