Don’t let late season injuries overshadow Brandon Ingram’s progress

3. Increased offensive production and responsibility

I previously listed numbers that showed areas of Brandon Ingram’s improvements, but my favorite statistic of his 2017-18 season is the increase in 2-point field goal attempts from 6.3 to 11.1 per game. Ingram is best when he attacks the rim and uses his length and athleticism to finish over or through opponents.

It’s a great sign to see him make a point on getting in the paint, averaging 7.7 points in the paint per game this season compared to 3.9 last season. Ingram is improving as a ball handler, and as he continues to develop his handle, drives and finishes at the rim (or trips to the free throw line) should grow in frequency.

Ingram showed natural progression on the court with his individual game, but the roster changes in the 2017 summer have played a part in his development. During his rookie season, the Los Angeles Lakers had ball dominant guards across the roster in D’Angelo Russell and Lou Williams (until the Feb. trade) with limited ball movement and spacing.

Fast forward to this season, and Ingram comes back to receive the ball at times to start the break, and is often the main ball handler late in close games. It’s clear head coach Luke Walton trusts Ingram to make the right decision and hit the big shot.

Having a guard of Ingram’s size is an advantage given the ability to read defenses easier and the lineup flexibility that comes from having your wing lead the offense.

The increased amount of space for Ingram to operate helps as well. He’s surrounded by shooters on the perimeter, and uses his long strides to get to the rim with less bodies clogging the paint. All in all, Ingram took advantage of better circumstances and figures to continue this upwards trend.