Small Ball May Be Lakers’ Key to Deep Playoff Run

The Los Angeles Lakers will embark on what they hope is a long playoff run. The journey to their 18th title starts on Saturday when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

The Lakers are the favorites to come out of that series and are expected to make a deep run, something the organization has become accustomed to doing in their storied history. 

Although L.A.'s path ahead is favorable, it doesn't mean it is a cakewalk. The Lakers will have some struggles along the way. However, at the end of the day, it is a path they would choose nine times out of ten. 

While the Lakers have the tools to make a deep run and possibly be the last team standing, they have some glaring weaknesses. Every team has weaknesses; the playoffs are all about exploiting them. However, in the Lakers' case, their apparent weakness could be their strength in the long run: their small-ball play. 

While their "small-ball" or what some call "medium-ball" play could hurt them or appear to hurt them on the surface, the numbers when a player like Rui Hachimura or LeBron James replaces the Lakers' lone big Jaxson Hayes in the center position, are in favor of L.A.

"The early returns are somewhat promising: When the Lakers used either Hachimura or James at center, per Cleaning the Glass, they outscored opponents by 6.7 points per 100 possessions, with a below-average defense but an offensive rating of 123.9, which ranked in the 96th percentile leaguewide," wrote Zach Kram of ESPN.

The Lakers' offensive strength is undeniable. With leaders like James, Austin Reaves—who has shown his clutch potential in the playoffs—and Luka Doncic, who ranks second all-time in playoff points per game, their offensive capabilities should not be a concern.

Doncic attracts so much attention on the perimeter; guys like Hachimura, Dorain Finney-Smtih, and Gabe Vincent will have wide-open shots, as we've witnessed as the season winds down. 

The Lakers' lack of size compared to other teams could hurt them; however, they aren't as small as other small-ball teams. 

L.A.'s smallest player is Vincent, who stands at 6 foot-3. After that, L.A. has a 6-foot-5 Reaves, a 6-foot-7 Doncic, a 6-foot-8 Hachimura, a 6-foot-9 Finney-Smith, a 6-foot-9 James, and a 6-foot-8 Jarred Vanderbilt. 

L.A. has the skill sets, size, and tools that greatly benefit them in today's type of play style. 

The Lakers may only have one true big, but they boast seven other players who can impact the game in various ways.

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For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.