Brandon Ingram starting to handle more offensive responsibilities
The Los Angeles Lakers are entrusting Brandon Ingram with more decision-making duties in recent games. Will this trend continue, and if so, how could the Lakers and Ingram benefit from this move?
Early in the fourth quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 100-93 win over the Phoenix Suns Monday, the Lakers deployed a lineup with a single guard in Jordan Clarkson, three wings in Brandon Ingram, Corey Brewer and Kyle Kuzma with Andrew Bogut and Brook Lopez rotating at center.
The Lakers have been pleased with Clarkson’s role as the point guard for the second unit this season, and was the top scorer in the game with 25 points. But despite being the lone guard on the floor, it was Brandon Ingram that was coming back for the ball and initiating the offense for the majority of the final frame in their comeback victory.
Ingram sharing point guard duties continued into their next game on against the Philadelphia 76ers, a contest where Ingram finished with a career-high 24 points and 11 rebounds. This time around, Ingram brought the ball up the court as early as the first quarter and continued to do so throughout the game.
With Ingram showing signs of running an offense, should the Lakers keep expanding his role?
For starters, I understand that most players have the freedom to grab a rebound and immediately start dribbling the ball up the floor. This is true for the Lakers on most nights, but Ingram has been coming back to receive the ball while his teammates sprint up the court for stretches in recent games.
With limited options at the point, giving Ingram productive minutes with increased responsibility on offense could have its long-term benefits. Ingram started a game at point guard early last season, too.
It’s very telling that head coach Luke Walton gave Ingram the decision-making obligations in the fourth quarter of a close game on the road, but Ingram rewarded his head coach with a mature performance.
It doesn’t hurt that Ingram has the skill-set for the position. His 6’9” height allows him to see over defenders and read the rest the floor in the half-court. His pick-and-roll game has always been solid, but his growing ability to get to the rim (72.4 percent of his points come in the paint or free throw line) presents more opportunities for kick-outs if defenses help on drives.
Ingram only averages 2.4 assists per game this season, but he is an advanced passer given his inexperience initiating offense at his age. His assists numbers do take a hit with the Lakers’ poor shooting percentages this season. He can be careless at times (2.2 turnovers a game), but that should be expected playing with a young team as a 20-year-old that plays at in an up-tempo system.
The Lakers were not shy in stating that they want Ingram to lead the team in scoring this season, and that ability to get buckets is still his best offensive contribution to date. But they know the upside of building on Ingram’s playmaking ability is too high to ignore, especially with the young talent assembled around him.
One thing evident from that Phoenix game was how great of an impact Ingram can make defensively when playing next to other long players. When Ingram joined Kuzma and Brewer on the floor, the Lakers only allowed 14 points in the final nine minutes. Yes, the Suns aren’t the most potent offense, but Ingram’s length and activity on that side of the ball made things extremely difficult in the fourth quarter.
As for the Philadelphia game, it was hard not to be drawn in by his matchup with Ben Simmons, the lone player selected ahead of him in the 2016 NBA Draft. Simmons, standing 6’10”, is the Sixers’ starting point guard and has dominated in his first NBA season, showing the potential in having a point guard with that size.
Yes, Simmons has superior vision, feel and passing ability than Ingram, but the game is much easier when you can see over defenders and find the best option. Ingram won’t start at the point, but Lonzo Ball’s style of play and the Lakers lack of point depth will give Ingram plenty of chances to play with the ball in his hands.
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We will see if coach Walton continues using Ingram as the primary ball-handler, and if so, how long does Walton stick with him? Ingram looks comfortable in the role, and gives coach Walton more lineup flexibility. I’m encouraged with the early results of Ingram at the helm hopefully we see more of him leading the team.