The Los Angeles Lakers have many problems right now in their first-round playoff series versus the Minnesota Timberwolves, which they trail three games to one. Just about every player who has played in the series needs to do better in at least one facet of the game.
That includes Luka Doncic, who has played very high-level basketball offensively in three of the four games that have taken place. He has gone over the 30-point mark in each of those three games and is shooting a respectable 46.5% from the field and 36.8% from 3-point range in all four games.
However, he hasn’t gotten the job done in other areas. Podcaster Zach Lowe outlined two areas in particular where he has struggled during an episode of “The Zach Lowe Show” on Monday.
“He’s just helpless defensively, off the ball too,” Lowe said.
“How about you put up a fight in like game one. And now you’re down 3-1 and you’re probably going home.”
Defense has long been a bone of contention for Doncic. While he may have improved somewhat in that department, he is still seen as his team’s weak link defensively. The Timberwolves, at times, have been targeting the man he is trying to guard, and they have taken advantage.
When Doncic has had the ball, they have made him go one on one and go deep into the shot clock while shutting off his passing lanes. As a result, he had just two assists in Game 4, although he did dish off eight assists in Game 3 and nine dimes in Game 2.
“One interesting stat from this series is that Luka only has 20 assists in four games, which for him is not very many,” Lowe explained.
Doncic’s lack of playmaking is one reason the Lakers are averaging just 101.5 points a game and shooting 44.3% so far in this series. During the regular season, they averaged 113.4 points a game, and while that was just 19th in the NBA, it was enough for them to win 50 games and finish third in the Western Conference.
Lowe also pointed out how the Lakers’ lack of lob threats in the frontcourt have negatively impacted Doncic.
“I think you feel the absence of a dive man for him to sort of break down the defense and get into his sweet spots,” Lowe noted.
During the regular season, starting center Jaxson Hayes was often that lob threat. But he has barely played in this series, and he has thus been virtually a non-factor.
The Lakers need to find a way to unlock Doncic’s full game, especially in the fourth quarter, in order to get back in this series. In the final period of Game 4, he shot just 1-of-6 from the field, and that simply won’t get it done, especially against the Timberwolves team that ranked sixth in defensive rating during the regular season.
