The Lakers have been on a roll for the better part of a month with just about everything going their way. Luka Dončić looks like an MVP, LeBron James is embracing his role as a third fiddle and Austin Reaves has stepped up in recent fourth quarters.
The only thing that isn’t working? In-bounds passing.
A flaw that has existed throughout the season, the Lakers have seen it pop up multiple times in recent games. It’s been a pain in the side of head coach JJ Redick, so much so that he brought it up unprompted
after the team’s win against the Pacers.
“I do think that Sunday we will have our second practice since Dec. 27,” Redick said. “I’m really excited about it. I do think we’re just going to do a clinic on inbounding the basketball. I think it’s really important for us that we can make that eight-foot pass.”
While he said it a bit tongue-in-cheek, it was only a bit. The Lakers nearly threw away a win against the Clippers because of a bad inbound pass from LeBron James.
Their solution was to go to Marcus Smart as the inbounder instead of LeBron. The same Marcus Smart who almost cost the Lakers a game against the Spurs very early in the season by not fully stepping out of bounds before launching a pass downcourt.
To Smart’s credit, he has been solid at the role, including finding Luke Kennard for the game-winner against Orlando on the recent road trip. However, with Smart injured and out for recent games, the Lakers’ flaw returned yet again in Friday’s win against the Nets, further proving Redick’s point.
Just past the midway point of the fourth quarter, Austin Reaves was the one with an errant inbounds pass, leading to a turnover. While the Nets did not capitalize on it, it was yet another instance of the Lakers being unable to put the ball in play.
It’s a very silly flaw to have and one that you would think would be fixable without needing a whole clinic in a practice for it. So, while Redick might be joking a little bit about having a clinic for inbounding the ball, it might not actually be all that much of a joke.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.
