NBA-ийн улирлын нээлтийн тоглолт эхлэхээс өмнөх сүүлийн долоо хоногт Лос Анжелес Лэйкерс багийн тоглогчдын эрүүл мэнд болон бэлэн байдал тэргүүлэх чиглэл хэвээр байна.
Чөлөөт агентаар багт нэгдсэн төвийн тоглогч Уолкер Кесслер зүүн гарын ядам хурууны бэртлийн улмаас эхний гурван тоглолтыг өнжсөн ч, Лас Вегаст Голдэн Стэйт Уорриорсын эсрэг хийх тоглолтод оролцох боломжтой байна. Харин хамгаалагч Коллин Секстон хөлний бэртлийн улмаас Кесслерээс илүү удаан хугацаагаар талбайг өнжих төлөвтэй байгаа бол гарааны бүрэлдэхүүнд өрсөлдөж буй довтлогч Зиаир Уильямс хөлийн бэртлийн улмаас тоглолтын бэлэн байдал нь тодорхойгүй байна.
Лэйкерс бэлтгэлийн тоглолтуудын туршид бөмбөг алдалтаа бууруулах шаардлагатай тулгарч байна. Баг бэлтгэлийн тоглолтуудад 22.3 хувийн бөмбөг алдалттай явж байгаа нь лигт 28-р байрт бичигдэж байгаа бөгөөд Лука Дончич болон Остин Ривз нарын гол тоглогчид бөмбөг алдалтын гол шалтгаан болж байна. Дасгалжуулагч Жэй Жэй Редик багийн тоглолтын зохион байгуулалтыг сайжруулах тал дээр анхаарч ажиллаж байна.
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With about a week until they start their regular season with a matchup against the Warriors on Oct. 21 at Crypto.com Arena, the Lakers’ health and player availability will continue to be the main priority during the final week of the preseason.
Walker Kessler, the franchise’s marquee free-agency acquisition, could make his preseason debut against the Warriors on Tuesday in Las Vegas after sitting out of the first three games. The 7-foot-2 center made his return to live play in practice on Sunday after dealing with an injury to his left pinky finger.
Collin Sexton’s status is uncertain for Tuesday against the Warriors and Friday’s preseason finale vs. the Nuggets in Los Angeles, with coach JJ Redick saying the 6-foot-3 guard is “probably a little bit further behind” Kessler when it comes to his return as he deals with a lower leg injury.
And Ziaire Williams, the 6-foot-10 forward who’s in contention for a spot in the starting lineup, is dealing with a foot contusion after having only played in the Lakers’ preseason-opening win over the Kings on Oct. 5.
But regardless of who is available for their final two preseason games, the Lakers have plenty to clean up before the games start to count in the standings.
Here are non-injury/player availability factors The California Post is keeping an eye on in the last two exhibitions
Ball security
Preseason statistics come with an obvious caveat: It’s just the preseason.
Many teams, like the Lakers, haven’t been able to use all of their rotation players in every game.
And the rotation players who have suited up aren’t playing full games at this point, either playing just the first half or getting minutes in the third quarter before sitting out the entire fourth quarter, which complicates statistical takeaways.
Most teams have yet to crack double-digit practices, and haven’t come close to installing all of their offensive sets or defensive game plans.
But one thing is clear from the Lakers’ first three preseason games: They need to take better care of the basketball.
The Lakers’ 22.3% turnover rate entering Monday ranked No. 28 among all teams during the preseason.
Their star ball-handlers in Luka Doncic (5 turnovers per game) and Austin Reaves (3 per game) are the main catalysts of the team’s ball-security woes.
But Jaden Hardy (3 turnovers per game), Quentin Grimes (3), Bronny James (2.7), Dalton Knecht (2) and Sandro Mamukelashvili (2) have also coughed the ball up too much, especially when factoring most players aren’t playing as many minutes.
The turnovers have piled up when unfamiliar lineups are on the floor together and aren’t as organized as they’d like to be – a reality coach JJ Redick has acknowledged.
More practice and court time should be a natural remedy.
The Lakers have been generating the types of shots they want, especially when Doncic and/or Reaves are on the floor.
But they need to help themselves by being more careful with the ball.
Defensive rebounding
The Lakers have gotten a good look at what life without Kessler could look like.
And from a rebounding standpoint, it hasn’t been pretty.
The Lakers’ 61.6% defensive rebounding percentage during preseason has ranked No. 27 across the league.
Their struggles on the glass are predictable.
Kessler patrolling the paint will be a significant boost for the Lakers’ rebounding.
But he can’t be on the floor for every minute of every game during the regular season. So the last week has provided the Lakers with insight on what they need to do so they can be better on the glass when their starting center isn’t on the floor.
“It’s important to have two of the bigger wings out there for rebounding purposes,” Redick said. “That was a concern I think coming into the year – trying to be a good defensive rebounding team. What does that look like with Walker not on the court? In film, it’s pretty apparent that we need to do a better job of boxing out. Just like simple stuff and gang rebounding.
“We’ll figure that out. The biggest thing is trying to make sure we have…two bigger wings out there, Luka, Adou [Thiero], whoever that may be, Mamu as a wing with non-Walker minutes.”
