The Los Angeles Lakers have been making headlines in preseason play due to their increased willingness to take shots from beyond the three-point line. Compared to last season, the team’s three-point shooting has substantially improved, evident in their 93 successful attempts out of 200 during preseason games. In fact, Pelicans head coach Davon Hamm advised Anthony Davis to be more active on the court’s perimeter as a result.
On Wednesday evening, the Los Angeles Lakers will square off against the Sacramento Kings for their third exhibition game at the Honda Center in Anaheim. With a hot shooting streak, the Lakers are aiming to maintain their momentum against the Kings. However, it’s worth noting that LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reeves, Jared Vanderbilt, and Cam Reddish will all be sitting out for the second time during the preseason. As a result, other players will have the opportunity to showcase their skills and get more playing time.
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D’Angelo Russell has been performing exceptionally well during the pre-season and with key players out for the season, he deserves even more attention. It’s impressive that Russell has only committed one turnover while maintaining a shooting percentage of 61.1% from the field and 75% from beyond the arc. Additionally, he has distributed 11 assists, which is perhaps the most surprising aspect of his performance thus far.
Avon Am may have to compete for the final rotation position due to some players making it clear that they will not be participating. Jaxson Hayes and Taurean Prince had exceptional games against the Brooklyn Nets, despite Prince’s ongoing foul trouble, both scoring in double figures. However, the consistency of Max Christie and Cristian Wood needs to be monitored as they have struggled and excelled at various points during the preseason. The Kings had high hopes for the 2022-2023 season but surprised everyone by winning the Pacific Division and clinching the third seed in the Western Conference. De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis continue to be one of the best duos in the NBA, even with Murray’s absence. Harrison Barnes and Keegan Murray are also good supporting players for the Nuggets. Keep an eye out for Sasha Vezenkov, who won the Most Valuable Player award in the Greek League three times and was signed by the Sacramento squad to a $20 million contract during the offseason.