Why the Lakers need to continue to look for Wesley Johnson.

Although the Lakers suffered a crushing lost against the Denver Nuggets, losing 101-94 in overtime, the Lakers had a solid outing from most of their main contributors, most notably Wesley Johnson. After Johnson's tremendous defensive stop against James Harden of the Houston Rockets, it appeared as though a new Johnson had emerged, a Johnson with swagger, confidence, and a competitive gear that Laker fans have not seen since, ever.

During the Dallas Mavericks game, which the Lakers lost by 140-106, Wesley Johnson appeared to carry over that same level of confidence, throwing down a powerful dunk and posing like a wrestler who just landed his finishing move.

However, that was the only notable highlight from Johnson, who only attempted 5 field goal and converted 3 of those shots.

It's difficult to determine, just from one play, whether or not a player can become that go to guy, especially since the NBA is filled with incredible athletes. But for Laker fans who've watched Johnson throughout his tenure, it was undoubtedly refreshing and satisfying to finally see Johnson unleash his tremendous athleticism. Before his game against the Rockets, Laker fans were accustomed to watching Johnson play cautiously, as though he was afraid to make mistakes. But let's not forget Johnson, who was the 4th pick of the 2010 draft, impressed scouts with his unbelievable athleticism, his impressive length and most importantly his willingness to play within a team structure and be an all-around solid teammate. But since he's entered the NBA Johnson has played for franchises that utilize incorrectly which ultimately affected his confidence.

Johnson's performance against the Denver Nuggets appeared to be his homecoming game, as Johnson's tenacious defense caused several problems for the Nuggets speedy back court, with Johnson racking up 2 steals, 3 blocks and disrupting all sorts of shots and passes. Although Johnson's defense helped the Lakers contain the explosive Nuggets team, his spotty shooting performance hurt the Lakers in the long run, shooting 3-10 from the field and missing all three of his 3 point attempts. But even though Johnson had a poor shooting performance the majority of his looks were good shots that simply did not go in, and based off his performance, Laker fans should remain optimistic as Johnson's shooting will be the easiest to address.

Johnson's confidence appeared to be soaring, especially after his thunderous jam over the Nuggets small forward Danilo Gallinari seen here in this video.

After Johnson's jam you'll notice that he looks out to the crowd with that same level of certainty and swagger that should make all Laker fans giddy with joy as his future looks brighter than it's ever been.

Johnson's defense will be his greatest asset. With his length and athleticism, Johnson should be able to guard most elite players in the NBA. But in order for Johnson to succeed he needs to continue to play with that same unwavering confidence that he's shown the last 3 games. Byron Scott needs to be willing to give Johnson more opportunities and feed his confidence so that it remains sky high. Johnson shooting will be inconsistent, but it's only a matter of time until Johnson figures out how to use his physical skills to his advantage. If Johnson continues to impress than the Lakers might have found their permanent defensive stopper, possibly Michael Cooper 2.0?

Even if the Lakers continue to lose, Wesley Johnson's career should be one highlight that makes every Laker fan hopeful for a better tomorrow. We'll just have to wait and see whether or not Johnson will finally be able to step out of the draft bust category and enter a new stage in his career that will hopefully lead the purple and gold to more championships.

Glaring issues that plague the Lakers.

After last night's abysmal performance against the Golden State Warriors, the overwhelming issues continue to mount as the Lakers were humiliated on their home court. Stephen Curry had an electrifying performance, shooting 10-19 from the field and dishing out 15 assists, with only 3 turnovers, leading his team with 30 points. As for the rest of the Warriors squad, 7 of their 13 players had 10 or more points against the Lakers defense.

On the other hand, Kobe dropped a whopping 44 points, shooting 15-34 from the field. The only other notable Laker performance was from Jordan Hill, who shot 4-9 from the field and ended the game with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Surprisingly the Lakers out-shot the Warriors, attempting 99 field goals vs the Warriors 86 field goal attempts. However, while the Warriors made 46 out of their 86 attempts, the Lakers shot a horrible 39 out of 99 field goal attempts, averaging just a shy under 40% from the field.

Throughout the game the Lakers appeared to be outmatched. Jeremy Lin disappeared attempting only 2 field goals, and ended the night with 0 points 1 assist and 2 rebounds. Kobe Byrant looked to avenge his atrocious performance from the night before against the San Antonio Spurs, but as a result the team suffered from poor ball movement, a lack of interior scoring/penetration and complacency for too many jump shots.

But what was most appalling was the Lakers overall lack of effort. The Warriors ran the Lakers out of the building, consistently scoring easy buckets on transition layups and three-pointers.

If the Lakers want to have any chance at salvaging this season they must address their defensive mishaps. The Lakers interior defense is among the worst in the NBA and they continue to struggle against mid-level and top-tier big men. The perimeter defense has had moments however, the Lakers point guards still struggle with pick and roll plays and transition defense. The team as a whole still struggles with spacing, allowing wide open gaps to the paint and allowing excellent three point shooters to get wide-open looks. It will be up to Byron Scott and his staff to figure out a way to mask the weaknesses of the Lakers and utilize the Lakers length on the perimeter. Possibly a 2-3 zone defense?

On the other end the Lakers must figure out a way to play team basketball. Kobe is the main culprit, averaging over 20 field goal attempts every game, and he's already had 6 games where he's shot more than 25 field goal attempts. Jordan Hill plays as if he's the second best player on the team, hoisting up too many mid-range jumpers and completely detracting from what makes him so effective on the court, which is his tough tenacious rebounding and his quick put-backs. Jeremy Lin and Carlos Boozer both continue to put out inconsistent performances. Lastly Wesley Johnson appears to be playing hide and seek while he's on the court, with his offense coming and going too frequently.

The Lakers next opponent will be against the Atlanta Hawks this Tuesday. The Hawks are a solid team that likes to distribute the ball, attack the paint, and take high percentage shots. Furthermore the Hawks have two very good big men, in Paul Millsap and Al Horford to contend against the Lakers. This game should be competitive but it's a game that the Lakers should have a chance in winning. But if the Lakers cannot figure out how to trust one another and put as much effort on the defensive end as they do when they complain to the referees then expect the Lakers to go 1-10.

Randle WILL take the mantle.

Julius Randle, the Lakers coveted 7th pick of the 2014 draft, broke his tibia in his right leg during the first game of the 2014-15 season. A bad omen to start the season off, many Laker enthusiasts, including myself, cringed at the thought of losing Randle. Randle's explosive first step and NBA ready physique had me hopeful for this current season, and then it all crumbled within a few seconds. 

The lost of Randle meant that the already lack luster front court for the Lakers would have to pick up a lot of slack, and unfortunately, the last 5 games clearly showed that the Lakers big men are not good enough to stack up against the rest of the NBA's competitive front courts.

Now that the 2014-15 season seems to be lost, it's a matter of time for Randle to rehabilitate and make his triumphant comeback. And yes I said triumphant comeback, and here's why.

First and foremost, although Julius broke his primary leg (since he's left handed), he has shown that he is capable of lifting off both legs with equal explosiveness. Furthermore, Randle has never been a high flyer, his bread and butter is taking bigger defenders off the dribble and using his low post skills to his advantage. 

In college Randle showed some decent footwork, and luckily, since he's on the Lakers, he'll be able to learn from the greatest footwork artist in the NBA. Randle has also shown that he can stretch the floor, forcing his defender to come out toward the free throw line, then taking his defender off the dribble, and to the hole for a foul or an and-one. Randle's ball handling skills should not be ignored, and if you put that together with his explosive first step, then you'll realize just why he was such a highly praised pick. 

The most important thing to Randle's road to recovery will be his mental fortitude and his overall hunger to succeed. This will be the one thing that will dictate whether or not Randle will be able to become the great player that so many experts believe he'll be. But because no one is psychic it is impossible to guarantee that Randle will be able to have a huge comeback. However, I'm fully confident that he'll be back and better than ever mainly because of all the external forces that will help him during his recovery. 

Kobe has shown Randle his tough love approach, but judging off his response from Kobe's comments, it seems as if Randle respects and admires that, unlike another certain player...D12, cough cough. Randle also stated earlier in the season that he wanted to work his way to becoming a starter, and to have nothing handed to him.

These quotes shows just the type of person Randle is. He's a fighter, he's a warrior, he wants to become the best, and most importantly he wants to win championships; similar to someone else on the team. Many players say those exact same things, but very few actually keep their words. In the case of Randle, he's already shown that he can excel, which he proved during March Madness when he helped his Kentucky Wildcats advance through the NCAA tournament and reach the championship game. 

With all these factors it's hard to imagine Randle not coming back and making a huge impact. Unlike his other rookie peers Randle has learned first hand just how quickly one's career can take a turn, which will force him to mature much more quickly. Luckily for Randle, he has the full support of Kobe Bryant, and he's embraced Kobe's method of leading. Secondly, he's playing for a world class organization that not only expects him to comeback with a vengeance but to help them win championships. And finally, Randle has the talent, youth, and the right mindset to guide him through his road to recovery 

We all wish the best for you Randle! But remember, we expect nothing less but greatness, because Laker fans believe in your talents, and you will succeed, guaranteed.