Lakers are looking to address rebounding issues, slow starts
ORLANDO, FLA. ❯❯ One minute and five seconds.
That's all the time it took for the Lakers to surrender their first offensive rebound in their 120-101 loss to the Orlando Magic — a problem that's plagued them through the first six games but reached a new low on Saturday.
Magic rookie guard Anthony Black slithered around Austin Reaves' boxout attempt, with the Lakers third-year guard's contact against Black being marginal and not preventing Black from getting where he wanted after crashing the offensive glass from outside the 3-point line.
Black got inside the restricted area, grabbing forward Franz Wagner's missed 3-pointer before swinging the ball to the opposite side to maintain possession for the Magic. The Lakers got lucky to not give up any second-chance points on the possession, with center Goga Bitadze eventually missing the open floater to close out the possession.
“We didn't box out good enough,” Reaves said. “Mostly from the guard position. Our bigs are doing a good job trying to go get deflections, block shots. So that leaves their 5, their 4, whatever you want to say kind of with a free reign of trying to go get those and whoever is lowside on the backside, the guard position has got to step in and box out. Live and learn. Obviously, we need to learn because it's hurt us in the past.”
The Lakers defensive rebounding woes continued to hurt them on Saturday.
A little over one minute later, Bitadze nudged LeBron James out of position inside the paint after a guard Jalen Suggs missed floater to grab another offensive rebound, with Orlando's possession ending with a Suggs layup for the Magic's first second-chance points. Orlando dominated the Lakers, who gave up 19 offensive rebounds for 36 second-chance points.
“It's partially effort and it's some technique,” Reaves said. “You've got to know how to box out, especially with a team like they have with Suggs and all those guards that crash, Anthony Black. They crash hard. And you just got to know the technique of not worrying about getting the rebound yourself, but just sacrificing yourself to not let them get it. It's an effort thing as well.”
The Lakers have struggled to prevent offensive rebounds and secondchance points early this season. Their 11.3 offensive rebounds allowed is tied for the league's 10th-worst mark, and the 19.5 secondchance points allowed per game is the league's worst mark.
They've been outscored 117-54 in second-chance points in six games, contributing to their early-season point differential of minus-23.
“You can't scheme rebounding,” coach Darvin Ham said. “You've got to want to get the damn ball. Plain and simple. The shot goes up, if your opponent is in your area, you've got to get hits, put bodies on bodies and be the most aggressive one to the ball. That's it.
“There's no play I can draw up to get more rebounds. There's no play I can draw up to have more guys there. It's something we've got to continuously work at and acknowledge when we're doing it good and do a good job and when we do a poor job.”
The Lakers' defensive rebounding woes are contributing to their slow starts.
They're averaging 2.8 offensive rebounds allowed (tied for 19th) and 7.2 second-chance points allowed (last) in the first quarter. They've been outscored 205-144 in the opening period, with their minus-39.2 net rating (a team's point differential per 100 possessions) in the first quarter being the league's work mark.
“Seems like it's our energy,” Anthony Davis said. “Other teams are coming out and playing a little bit more aggressive. It's not even a skill or talent. It's the offensive rebounds, turnovers leading to transition points. 50-50 balls, it's those types of plays that get us down. Any time we're able to hold a team to one shot, it's hard to beat us. But we haven't been able to do that.”
Defensive rebounding was a problem for last year's team until the trade deadline, when they made moves to upgrade their size. Forward Jarred Vanderbilt (left heel bursitis — inflammation), forward Rui Hachimura (concussion protocol) and forward Taurean Prince (left patellar tendonitis) were among the players the Lakers were without against the Magic, taking away the size that could have helped with rebounding.
Are there concerns the slow starts and defensive rebounding woes could become season-long issues?
“Hopefully not,” Davis said. “Hopefully not. If so, then … who knows? Hopefully not. Starts on Monday. Fix the problem Monday, one game at a time. A lot of veterans on this team where we can control that. It's not like young guys who don't know what's going on. We got to be better. And it's the first 5.”