Three takeaways from Los Angeles Lakers preseason
The Los Angeles Lakers finished their final preseason game with a 123-100 loss against the Phoenix Suns and a 2-4 record. Here are three key takeaways from the preseason:
Improved three-point shooting
The biggest statistic that jumped out from preseason was the improved three-point shooting. In six preseason games, the Lakers shot 36.3 percent from downtown, improving on their 34.6 percent mark from the previous season.
Last season the team never reached 20 made three-pointers — preseason or regular season — but they reached that mark in only their second preseason game, going 20-of-55 against the Brooklyn Nets on Oct. 6.
Against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 13, the team made nine three-pointers in the first quarter, tying its highest mark for a quarter from last season.
Obviously, preseason results should be taken with a grain of salt, but the results are encouraging nonetheless. The team added solid three-point shooters in Gabe Vincent and Taurean Prince, and the Lakers re-signed reliable three-point shooters Austin Reaves, D'Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura.
Taurean Prince shows out in the starting lineup
When it came to lineup configuration, a combination of small injuries and planned rest days have seen the Lakers starting five change from game to game. However, one mainstay has been Prince, who started in the team's last five preseason games and played well, averaging 10.6 points and shooting 47.8 percent from three.
Spacing and defense are two things this Lakers starting lineup needs, and Prince provides both. When asked about Prince's fit with the starting lineup, Anthony Davis stated, per Khobi Price of the Southern California News Group: "He's a vet. True professional... I'm not sure who the starter is going to be, but I think he's making a strong case for himself."
A high degree of versatility
Throughout the preseason, coach Darvin Ham experimented with lineup combinations, revealing the high degree of versatility that this roster has.
The Lakers can go big with Hachimura, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, spread the floor with shooters in Vincent, Russell, Reaves and Prince or lock in defensively with Jarred Vanderbilt and Davis as the inside-out defensive duo.
In addition, the ascension of Reaves as a third option and Russell as a reliable primary ball handler means there will be less of a load to carry for James and Davis, who are finishers as opposed to primary playmakers.
After several failed seasons of experimentation, it's nice to see general manager Rob Pelinka go back to a winning formula, and the preseason showed it's a move that will pay off.
Preseason is where the hype starts. Although it remains to be seen whether the successes and failures from the preseason will manifest itself in the regular season, the results so far should have Lakers fans excited.
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