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LOS ANGELES – The Lakers are on the move. Not really. They are running. And running. And run a little more.
A week and a half in N.B.A. season, an obvious trend has emerged: teams want to get on and off the court as fast as possible, and the LeBron-equipped Lakers are no exception. In fact, the Lakers generate more speed in attack than almost every other team in the league, which says a lot, and everything is done for their good.
"We excel there," said coach Luke Walton. "I think our guys like it. They do not see it as: "Damn, we have to go out and run again." We have a stop, and the guys are looking forward to throw the ball, which means the running guys are watching behind catching them. We are hard. We have a lot of guys who can play in this scenario. "
Their approach was presented Thursday night in a 121-114 win over the Denver Nuggets at the Staples Center, where LeBron James earned his first triple-double as a member of the team. He had 28 points, 11 assists, 11 rebounds and three flights in his first home win for the team. He now has 74 career triple triples, number 6 in all-time standings, according to basketball-reference.com.
The Nuggets (4-1) absorbed his first loss of the season. And Kobe Bryant, resplendent in a well-fitting suit, followed the proceedings from a basic seat.
"It was like" a good game "after the game, so I was a little excited," said Lakers goalie Lance Stephenson.
The Lakers are suddenly 2 or 3 after consecutive victories, and as much as Walton has preached the importance of defense – he had an angry conversation with his players in Phoenix this week – he also implored them to look for opportunities in transition , which has the added advantage of wearing opponents. The first returns were surprisingly correct.
The Lakers averaged 125.6 points per game, which ranks second in the NBA. before Friday games, while producing 109.1 possessions by 48 minutes, which also ranked second. They ranked second in turnover, third in aid / turnover ratio and fourth in percentage of goals scored while leading the first division of the league in terms of quick score.
It should be noted – and this warning accompanies huge swirling sirens – that these statistics are based on a small sample, entering less than two weeks after a long season of 82 games. But the Lakers seem determined to stay true to their pants on-the-go philosophy. Walton was talking about it even before the start of the season.
"We will play fast," he told reporters at the training camp. "We have a very deep team – a lot of guys who can push the ball. We want to attack. We think our great strength this year will be our depth, the number of guys we can get you started. "
The Lakers are not unique. The teams of the league play with a fantastic tempo. Uniforms must be equipped with oxygen tanks. Consider that pelicans in New Orleans led the league last season with an average of 102.7 possessions every 48 minutes. This season, it would be 23rd. The rating has increased significantly, too.
N.B.A. the defenses have never been so disadvantaged. Seven feet are able to drain 3 points on quick breaks. Some punctual guards are the size of an advanced power. Positions have become interchangeable. And now, at the request of the league, the referees take the ball, which gives them even more margin, which leaves more margin to scorers.
Consider the fate of the Washington Wizards, who scored 71 points in the first period against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night – and who went to the locker room followed by 9. The warrior Stephen Curry, who has rarely been as skilled at crafting, was on the point of finishing with 51 points while lowering 11 points to 3 points, including some from Siberia.
"The score is absurd," said Nuggets coach Michael Malone before Thursday's game. "You're sort of waiting for it to come down again. But when you look at the newspaper and the scores at night, you see 140 as a common phenomenon now – I do not know what to do with it. "
Malone cited the referees' new approach as a factor. The league, he said, was reeling about the free movement of players.
"The teams benefit," he said. "The reality is that most of the rules that are adopted are aimed at favoring the offensive player, the offensive team. This makes it a much more exciting game and allows the brand to start, which is ultimately what all our big fans want to see. "
The Lakers ran the ground under Walton last season, too, ranking second in the pace. But their style has not given many victories. The Lakers finished 35-47 and were eliminated. They had young talents but lacked depth, experience and leadership.
Enter James, who has spent much of his career showing how he can be dominant in half-court ensembles. But now, at 33, he has deliberately broken his crampons. He uses the term "push" almost as often as Walton, because he knows it's one of the Lakers' strengths.
At the same time, James already has a lot of kilometers after so many seasons and deep playoffs. Last season, with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he led the league in minutes and played in all 82 games. Walton, to his credit, is aware of the dangers.
So on Thursday, while the Lakers were in the middle of the fourth quarter, Walton replaced James in the place of a replacement. It was a bet with an eye on the bigger picture.
"If we want to play fast," said Walton, "I have to find stretching to allow him to take breaks throughout the season."
James came back in the match about three minutes later and helped the Lakers win another victory.
"Speed kills," he says.
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