Lakers need to clean up ‘the intangible game’ entering Game 2 at Nuggets – Orange County Register

EleonApril 22, 2024

35 4 minutes read

Lakers need to clean up ‘the intangible game’ entering Game 2 at Nuggets – Orange County Register

DENVER — Stepping away from the time and space of a game can often help provide a clearer picture of what went well and what didn’t.

The emotions of the game’s core are further in the rearview mirror. Details that were not detected during gameplay may be noticed.

But for coach Darvin Ham, many of the things that stood out immediately after Saturday’s 114-103 Game 1 loss at Ball Arena in their first-round playoff series with the defending champion Denver Nuggets were also stood out after watching the film as Saturday turned to Sunday.

“We really didn’t do a bad job in the halfcourt,” Ham said on a Sunday afternoon conference call with reporters. “They made some tough shots, but we didn’t do a bad job defensively. But our biggest problem was transition defense, getting back, getting matched up to not get into cross matchups. We haven’t done this as well as we should.

At Ham’s point, the Lakers allowed the Nuggets to score 21 fast break points and 18 second chance points off Denver’s 15 offensive rebounds.

The Utah Jazz allowed a league-worst average of 18.4 fast break points to opponents per game during the regular season, while the Washington Wizards allowed a league-worst average of 16.4 fast break points to the opponent per game.

Anthony Davis said before Saturday’s game that the Lakers can’t be bad at both defensive rebounding and transition defense — two areas of improvement for the Lakers against the Nuggets after being swept 4-0 in from last year’s Western Conference Finals and 3-0. regular season sweep last season.

But that’s exactly what happened.

“Obviously we gave up some second chance points and some untimely turnovers on our part,” Ham said. “That’s the intangible play and that’s the play you really have to fight against with good teams like Denver, championship teams like Denver. Little things count. Details and discipline.

“It’s more that than anything else, than the big stories or the post coverage or the pick-and-roll coverage. These are the intangible things. That’s what really came through when we got back to the hotel after the game and watched the film again.

Ham also acknowledged that the Lakers can improve how they defend two-time MVP and reigning Finals MVP Nikola Jokić.

Jokić finished with 32 points, 12 rebounds (three offensive rebounds) and seven assists in 39 minutes, and did not commit a turnover.

“You’re not going to shut him up,” Ham said. “You just have to make it difficult for him.” There (are) some things and opportunities where I saw that we could have been more proactive in denying him catches, and maybe rushing him a little more, getting back to him earlier in pick and roll with our cover.

Ham added that Rui Hachimura, Jokić’s primary defender for most of Saturday, could have done better to get back at Jokić during some of Denver’s offensive plays.

“But he’s a tough goalie because he’s not a one-way superstar,” Ham said. “He thinks about all levels of the game. If he doesn’t pass a ball that hurts you, he scores. If he doesn’t score, he’s on the glass. So it’s multifaceted.

“But you just have to keep trying to make things difficult for him. And that starts with trying to limit his hits, which is almost impossible, but it’s what you need to do if you’re trying to win.

The Lakers’ offense also bogged down after a good start.

After scoring 49 points (19 for 31 shooting with 13 assists) in the first 18 minutes, the Lakers scored 54 points (20 for 48 shooting with nine assists) in the last 30 minutes.

“We had a great look that we didn’t knock down,” Ham said. “Shots that we managed to repel. And then our pace slows down. We just watched our team walk up and down, coming back to the offense and not getting in and out of our actions (quickly). We’re a completely different ballclub when we’re sprinting down the field.

“It also has to be part of our defense: how to defend this team is to put more pressure on them in attack. Also try putting them on their heels. Our attack was stagnating. It also contributed to them having the type of night they had.

Ham also responded to a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic that big man Christian Wood plans to return to the field in Game 3 on Thursday in Los Angeles.

Wood had surgery on his left knee last month and has not played since the All-Star break, being sidelined for what the team officially deemed a “left knee effusion” (swelling). for one month before the procedure. Wood averaged 6.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 17.4 minutes per game (50 games) during the regular season after signing a two-year, $5.75 million contract with the Lakers as a free agent in September. The second season of the contract (2024-25) is a $3.06 million player option.

“He’s still recovering from his injuries and rehabbing,” Ham said. “Obviously he’s got size, he’s got length, he’s got rebounding skills, he can stretch the floor. But first of all, he still has a few boxes to check before even considering (his return).