Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt has long been one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. The energy and fight that he plays with any time he is on the court is infectious and he has been known to make life tough for some of the best players the league has to offer.
What has hurt Vanderbilt, however, has been his offensive shortcomings. In particular, his lack of 3-point shooting, which causes teams to basically ignore him and shrink the court on the Lakers’ stars. This is especially an issue in the playoffs, but one that Vanderbilt has been working hard to fix.
Over the past couple of summers, there have been plenty of videos showing Vanderbilt working on his 3-point shot and it seems to be paying off so far this season. And Vanderbilt wants to be able to be that outlet and be able to space the floor to make life easier on the Lakers’ stars.
“We have a lot of guys that demand double teams, and really command just a lot of eyes on them,” Vanderbilt said after a recent shootaround. “It’s just being able to space the floor, finish and just provide the outlet for them. Just keep progressing and working on it. I know I’m gonna have the opportunity to shoot them, so I just have to be ready to shoot them and let it fly.”
So far, it has been working for Vanderbilt as he is shooting a career-high 39.3% from deep (11-for-28). While he still isn’t shooting at a high volume, his 1.4 attempts per game is also the most he’s ever shot and in the last five games since re-entering the Lakers’ rotation, he has made at least one 3-pointer in every contest.
Christmas Day was his best night so far as he knocked down three 3-pointers and finished with 11 points in the Lakers’ loss. Vanderbilt has also been a menace on the offensive glass, averaging 3.6 offensive rebounds over the last five contests and if he can continue creating extra possessions while also maintaining his improved shooting, his role for this squad will only increase.
Jarred Vanderbilt discusses how Lakers can play with more consistent energy
Perhaps the greatest strength that Jarred Vanderbilt brings is his constant effort and energy, but that has been something the Lakers as a whole have struggled with recently. The veteran recently spoke about the Lakers needing to do some self-reflection and make the choice of playing hard every night and responding to the adversity they’re facing right now.
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