Lakers 2013-14 Preseason Player Profiles: Steve Blake

Ryan Cole
3 Min Read

SteveBlakeName: Steve Blake
Pos: PG
Year: 10

2012-2013 Stats 
PPG: 7.RPG: 2.9 APG: 3.8 SPG: 0.8 BPG: 0.1
FG%: 42.2% 3PT%: 42.1% FT%: 77.1%
PER: 11.7 USG%: 13.2 ORTG: 114 DRTG: 109
TS%: 57.3% EFG%: 55.6% DR%: 10.1 OR%: 2.1 TR%: 6.2

Last Season Summary:
When the Lakers made the decision to fire Mike Brown and hire Mike D’ Antoni, the player that benefited the most from that transition was Steve Blake. The new uptempo system proved to be a perfect fit for Steve Blake as he had his best statistical season as a Laker. The only negative from last season happened to be the fact that he couldn’t stay healthy due to an abdominal strain that had given him issues over the course of the season.

Strengths/Weaknesses:
Blake is an expert at managing the game with the second unit. He has an excellent understanding of pace and tempo, and was able to show that throughout last season in D’Antoni’s system. Obviously Steve is an excellent three-point shooter, as he converted 42.1% of his shots from beyond the arc last season. The most glaring weakness in Steve Blake’s game is his lack of quickness and athleticism, especially in a league where the point-guard position is perhaps the most athletic.

Expected Role:
Steve Blake is going to be relied upon to lead the second unit again this season. After having his best season as a Laker we should expect Mike D’Antoni to name Blake as the backup point guard to Steve Nash going into training camp. However with the Lakers signing Jordan Farmar, we should expect Blake to get some minutes at shooting guard because of his ability to stretch the floor and with Kobe’s status uncertain.

This Year’s Expectations:

Lakers Nation should hope that Steve Blake could have a similar season to last year, except that he has more good fortune in the health department. In the 2012-2013 campaign Blake missed 37 games. That can’t happen this season if the Lakers expect to be a playoff team.

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Ryan Cole is a student at the University of Southern California (USC) majoring in Broadcast Journalism and minoring in Sports Media Studies. His past experiences include interning for ESPN and Fox Sports. He is huge sports fan that loves to talk all kinds of sports. You can follow him on twitter here: @JustRyCole
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