"I don't see the sun rising on the horizon" - Shannon Sharpe questions the immediate future of the LA Lakers after a string of disappointing performances
The Los Angeles Lakers have had a disastrous start to the 2021 NBA season and that has brewed up quite a storm in and around NBA circles. Shannon Sharpe is the latest to pose questions about the Lakers' immediate future, saying he does not see the sun shining on the horizon for the franchise anytime soon.
The Lakers currently sit in tenth place in the Western Conference with a 5-5 record. It could have comfortably been a 7-3 record if they played to their potential and didn't make careless mistakes which cost them dearly.
The losses didn't hurt as much as the lack of effort did. The lack of effort put in by the players affects their game on the defensive end, which was something they prided themselves on during the Frank Vogel era. Their defense has been substandard and infuriating, leading to them ranking in the lower half in most defensive categories. This is a huge drop for a team that has been a top-five defensive team on a consistent basis for the past couple of seasons. To top it off, the Lakers have been hit by an injury bug, losing key players at different points already.
Television personality and NFL Hall-of-Famer Shannon Sharpe, a staunch supporter of LeBron James, has recently come out criticizing the Lakers, saying that he has seen nothing encouraging from them. He added that he does not see things getting better anytime soon with the injury crisis plauging them at the moment. Here is what he said in an appearance on FS1's Skip and Shannon: Undisputed:
"I've seen nothing to be encouraged about. LeBron is hurt, AD limps in-and-out of ball games and Russ has been a disaster for the Lakers. I don't see the sun rising on the horizon."
.@ShannonSharpe is at a level 10 when it comes to his concern for the Lakers:
"I've seen nothing to be encouraged about. LeBron is hurt, AD limps in-and-out of ball games and Russ has been a disaster for the Lakers. I don't see the sun rising on the horizon." https://t.co/D7oKKijV4T
On paper, the Lakers have a roster that is capable of dominating, but to do that they will have to get on the same page. Unfortunately for them they do not have the time and luxury to let a season go to develop chemistry with LeBron James turning 37 soon. Their championship window is closing soon and they will have to make adjustments accordingly if they are to achieve their goals.
What do the Lakers have to do to make a deep playoff run considering the way they have started out?
The Lakers have shown us no evidence of being a championship team despite it being the start of the season. Having said that, they also have a veteran-heavy team with some of the smartest players the game has ever seen. Rajon Rondo, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, head coach Frank Vogel and his support staff will have to huddle up and figure things out soon before it is too late.
Few things can be seen straight off the bat, the Lakers cannot afford to play another big man with Anthony Davis when Russell Westbrook is on the court. Russ is elite when he has space to operate and room to drive into the paint, and with AD and Dwight and DeAndre Jordan playing, the paint is too clogged for him to run into, forcing him to settle for contested jumpers with his questionable shooting ability.
Westbrook's currently only effective when he has the ball in his hand but with LeBron James being the primary playmaker, it becomes extremely difficult for him to have the ball constantly. He will have to find other ways to impact the game off the ball, such as using his dynamic athleticism and strength to make cuts, screen for other players and roll to the rim to give the Lakers better options. An example would be a pick-and-roll between LeBron and Russ, which is devastating for teams to guard.
LeBron James on his thoughts regarding his pick-and-roll with Russell Westbrook video courtesy of the @Lakers: https://t.co/wwG3ByatRZ
Frank Vogel will also have to make huge adjustments on the defensive end to mask Russ' inefficiency if things are to work with the enigmatic guard. The Lakers have a roster capable of taking them to the promised land, but will have to make adjustments to do so.