On February 10, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued, and the Lakers lost to the Blazers 105-107. At the same time as losing to this reconstructed team, the Lakers also set an embarrassing record.
According to statistics, the Lakers' effective shooting rate in this game is as high as 66.9%, while the Blazers are only 52.8%. And this season, when a team has an effective shooting rate of 66% or more, the record is 39-0, and the Lakers are the first and only team to lose.
This embarrassing data may also illustrate the most important problem of the Lakers' current poor performance, that is, no defense. Whether Westbrook is on the floor or not, the Lakers' defensive system does not exist at all, even if James and Thick Brow are very efficient in attack, but they can't defend their opponents, and no matter how many points they have, they will be in vain.
The Lakers' defense is not strong, in addition to the team's staffing, especially the lack of 3D players on the front, there is also a certain relationship with Vogel's way of employing people. In this game, Howard has been confirmed to play before the game, the result? Vogel didn't even let him for a second.
If there was a time when Westbrook was there, considering the problem of the team's offensive space, then Howard could barely say that he was not on the court. But this ball, without Westbrook on the floor, it is reasonable to say that the Lakers' offensive space is no problem, but Howard still has not played, which is a bit unspeakable.
It is true that Howard is not a "magic beast" who can support the team's defensive system at the peak of his life, but at least he is there, the Lakers have a big center who can protect the basket and grab the board, not to be easily played by the opponent on the inside line, but also to liberate the thick eyebrow brother and save physical energy for him. But Vogel always abandons Howard at every turn, especially in the current situation where the team is so short of manpower, he is still so willful, and it is really speechless. It's no surprise that the Lakers' defensive problems have been amplified.