LA Lakers News Roundup: Patrick Beverley guarantees the Lakers making playoffs; HBO announces to release Shaquille O’Neal based documentary, and more | October 22, 2022
Patrick Beverley is upbeat despite the LA Lakers’ poor start that they can still make the playoffs. The scrappy guard assured fans that they will be one of the eight teams who will be in the postseason.
HBO will release a four-part documentary series on Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal. The film will cover Shaq’s entire career starting with the Orlando Magic until his retirement.
The horrific shooting percentage from long distance is not shaking LeBron James’ conviction that they will eventually turn things around. The four-time MVP previously bemoaned their lack of shooting but is still confident the LA Lakers will make their shots count.
LA Lakers will not miss the playoffs, according to Patrick Beverley
The LA Lakers are off to a dismal 0-2 start after losses to the Golden State Warriors and the LA Clippers. Patrick Beverley is looking at the big picture as things settle down and believes they will eventually return to the playoffs.
“Mr. 94 Feet” had this message for Laker Nation, who are already starting to question what their team can do this season:
“We are not missing the playoffs.”
“We’re going to the playoffs”
- Pat Bev’s message to Lakers fans https://t.co/21JDHpXwGr
Patrick Beverley is saying practically the same guarantee LeBron James made after last season’s debacle. “King James” previously declared that he will not miss the playoffs ever again in his career.
To make those vows a reality, they would have to address their biggest and most glaring difference: shooting. The LA Lakers are currently dead last in 3-point shooting with a nightmarish 22.4% from beyond the arc.
The LA Clippers decided to send double and sometimes triple teams to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Clippers knew the rest of the Lakers couldn't punish them. Darvin Ham’s team may not consistently shoot this bad, but there’s no denying how inept they have been.
The LA Lakers will have their chances, but they also have several things to significantly improve on, or Patrick Beverley’s words will bite him later.
“Shaq” will start airing next month as a four-part documentary series
HBO’s in-depth look at the life and career of Shaquille O’Neal will be released next month. The first episode will premiere on Nov. 23 at 9 p.m. For the next three weeks after that, “Shaq” will come out every Wednesday.
Here’s what Shaq had to say about the documentary series to the Orlando Sentinel:
“We kept this documentary real from the start. I do feel like it is the most honest look into my life and career up until this point. This process allowed me to reflect publicly in a way I haven’t before. And I’m so proud of the work everyone has done to put it all together.”
HBO has announced plans for "Shaq" — a four-part docuseries on the NBA Hall of Famer's life and legendary career.
It's set to release November 23rd. https://t.co/vHKky0ux6m
The series will have the who’s who of Shaquille O’Neal’s basketball career. Phil Jackson and Pat Riley, two of the LA Lakers' greatest coaches, will have featured interviews.
Former teammates such as Penny Hardaway, Dennis Scott, Dwyane Wade, Brian Shaw, Rick Fox and Derek Fisher will appear as well. Jerry West, the man who brought Shaquille O’Neal from Orlando to Hollywood, will also be on that list.
LeBron James is unfazed by the LA Lakers’ poor 3-point shooting and believes they will bounce back
The LA Lakers are off to their third 0-2 start in LeBron James’ career. In the two previous instances, the team didn’t even make the playoffs.
After their second loss to open the season, LeBron James had this to say about where they are as a team:
“I love the way we’re playing basketball right now. We’re really sharing the ball. Offensively, we’re moving bodies. I think we will begin to knock down shots.”
'I thought all night we played the right way,' says LeBron James after dropping their home opener to the Clippers. https://t.co/0HudqpWxE9
Knocking down shots is the crux of the matter in the LA Lakers’ two consecutive losses. “King James” and his teammates are the second-worst shooting team in the entire NBA with only 38.8%. The Lakers are just a hair better than the OKC Thunder who’s only hitting 38.4%.
The LA Lakers’ predicted lack of 3-point shooting became abundantly clear against the Golden State Warriors and LA Clippers. LA is a pathetic 22.4% from 3-point distance. They’re not even in the same vicinity as the Minnesota Timberwolves, the second-worst, from that range with 29.6%.
The Lakers are showing signs of becoming a good defensive team. But at some point, they’re going to have to consistently hit shots or face another embarrassing season.