Lakers Were Rolling Along, and then…

The Los Angeles Lakers were rolling along taking a commanding lead in the best of seven game series with an ad hoc line up when the two highest scoring players were out. Luke Kennard; the most accurate three point shooter in the league, was a dead-eye in the first two games and averaging more than 20 points a game as a substitute starter.

Then coach Reddick mentioned the possible return of guard Austin Reeves and, coincidently, Kennard found that someone had put a lid over the basket and couldn’t buy a three point shot. One might think his confidence and accuracy was clipped when his magic starring role mojo vanished and critics returned to describe him as a choker.

The Lakers lost the last two games to the Rockets (playing without Houston’s star Kevin Durant) and may lose two additional games. If Luke Kennard could rediscover confidence in shooting and not find his point of aim slightly off- nervous perhaps, he might be able to hit the bullseye again. At any rate coach Reddick failed to diversify his line-up and run the youth squad a lot more. He tends to be overly conservative with player selection as a coach.

I suppose it won’t matter if the Lakers lose the series or win it, perhaps returning to Los Angeles in game seven. It is nearly certain that the conservative player rotation will get the Lakers defeated by the OKC Thunder in the next series if they win. In fact the Lakers would probably lose to OKC even if Luca Doncik and Austin Reeves play full time.Doncik is the league’s highest scorer for the regular season and injured a hamstring against OKC the last time they met in the regular season and hasn’t played since. It would be a shame to return him too early and risk a more serious reinjury when they are likely going to lose 4-1 or 4-2 anyway. Coach Reddick doesn’t trust his younger players on the bench, and played the slumping Kennard even when he should have resumed the off the bench to make threes role and let Bronny James or Nick Smith Jr. start.