Brandon Ingram Discussion: He Is Who We Thought He Could Be

Chriss was named rookie of the month with averages of 8/4/1 on the worst team of the western conference nontheless.

Shows you how dreadful this rookie class has performed so far.

 

I loved those two blocks in a row last night. Great stuff. Has a long way to go with consistency on the offensive end, but the tools are all there. Defense and bringing up the ball, setting up the offense can be his calling card for the rest of the year though. Just keep working and the shots will fall.

 

He generally gets pretty good looks. I don't know why he can't knock them down. I don't think it's ability, it's mentality. He may have a block of some sort right now.

 

...or Ingram needs to tweak his shooting mechanics a bit. Nothing drastic of course. There were seasons when the Lakers employed shooting coaches like Hodges and Person.

 

I don't know if it's the same issue with Ingram, but Russell's problem is the same he has with his turnovers. He doesn't stay focused and disciplined. LakerFilmRoom has been all over it from the start, but Russell's shot varies wildly sometimes in games even from one shot to the next. You know a lot of basketball is repeat-ability. It should get better with time and maturity.

 

I trust Russell shooting a whole lot more than I do Ingram. It's not even really close.

 

Russell shoots flatfooted most of the time though he does have a nice arc on his shot. Agree with the turnovers where he gets careless out there. Russell does not have the tight handles like other guards as he dribbles to high. Agree that he should progress more with time. If by the 4th year, Russell has not ironed out his issues, then it might be time to cut bait.

Let's see IF Johnson's presence with the organization helps him better his overall game...

 

Ingram did well tonight. His shot looked smooth except that one air-ball. Even spent time tracking Thomas.

 

He looks more determined to put the ball on the floor and get in the paint. Nice to see.

 

Sometimes I feel Ingram is the only one who plays with a brain out there...

 

...and that is why I am loathe to include him in any package deals. No doubt if talks are happening, Ingram's availability will be discussed. He does need to put on some muscle. Last night, Crowder walked Ingram into the paint for easy scores. Props to him though because he did not just roll over during those sequences.

 

His possessions on Thomas last night were impressive. The only way Thomas got rid of him was on screens or in the open floor. You could also tell he was letting go of his shots with great confidence.

 

He finished his best month of the season - 28.4 minutes, 9.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and shot 38-33-63. I know it's not what we were hoping for, but it's improvement. He also posted his most threes made - 14, second most blocks + steals (16), and his most 3s+ast+stl+oreb (39) and his fewest TO+PF (41).

 

YES!!!! Sick of Deng.