Let’s take a look at the Los Angeles Lakers offensive performance and why the Miami Heat shouldn’t change their defensive game plan
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra felt that the Los Angeles Lakers’ physicality was the deciding factor in Game 1. Spoelstra stated that “the Lakers set the tenor, the tone, the force, the physicality, for the majority of the game” during the post-game press conference.
But is Spoelstra right that Los Angeles’ physicality played a vital role in them winning Game 1? No, as the Lakers won Game 1 because they converted their 3-pointers at an unprecedented rate during the first half.
Lakers’ performance from behind the arc in Game 1
The Lakers shot 64.7 percent from behind the arc on 17 attempts in the first half. The 3-point field goal percentage helped them generate 33 points, 50.8 percent of their scoring output. More importantly, Anthony Davis and LeBron James exceeded expectations from behind the arc in the first half as they went 3-for-3 combined.
The team cooled off in the second half shooting 19 percent on 21 attempts. They scored 12 points from behind the arc in the second half, 23.5 percent of scoring output. Davis and James played a vital role in the cooling-off as they shot 20 percent from behind the arc on 5 attempts.
Lakers’ 3-point statistics
LA’s first-half 3-point percentage nearly doubled their standard percentage as they were 21st in the league in 3-point percentage during the regular season, shooting 34.9 percent on 31.6 attempts per game.
The subpar shooting continued in the postseason as Los Angeles was the 5th worst team in 3-point percentage over the first 15 playoff games as they shot 35.5 percent on 31.9 attempts per game.
The Lakers shooting issues are related to how head coach Frank Vogel constructed the rotation. 66.6 percent of the team’s playoff rotation has a career 3-point shooting percentage of below 35 percent ( Davis, Dwight Howard, James, Kyle Kuzma, Markieff Morris, and Rajon Rondo).
The Miami Heat game plan
The lack of shooting in Los Angeles’ rotation led Miami to give shooters space as 86.8 percent of their threes were uncontested attempts. Miami’s strategy put them in a position to crowd the paint to lower the effectiveness of Los Angeles’ post-up-centric offense.
Los Angeles was second in the league in post-up possessions during the regular season averaging 14.3 per game. They shot 47.1 percent from the field on 5.6 attempts per game. The field goal percentage helped them generate 6.7 points per game.
The team continued to excel in the low post over the first 15 playoff games as they shot 53.2 percent from the field on 5.3 attempts per game. The field goal percentage helped them generate 6.9 points per game in 13.3 post-ups.
Miami’s defensive alignment contributed to the Lakers taking 34 contested 2-point field goal attempts in Game 1, a 0.87 percent increase from the rest of the postseason. They shot 50.5 percent from the field on these attempts, a 4.8 percent decrease from the first 15 playoff games.
The field goal percentage helped them create 30 points, a 23.5 percent decrease from the rest of the postseason. More importantly, Davis and James were less effective on contested 2-point field goal attempts in Game 1. Davis shot 42.8 percent on 14 attempts, an 11.3 percent decrease from the rest of the postseason. He created 12 points on these field goal attempts.
On the other hand, James shot 50 percent on 8 attempts per game, a 12.5 percent decrease from the first 15 playoff games. He created 8 points in Game 1. The Lakers’ production on contested shots led to them only shooting 44.4 percent in the post on nine attempts. The field goal percentage allowed them to create 8 points.
If Los Angeles reverts to its standard shooting form, Miami’s Game 1 strategy should have better results.