EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Bronny James shows struggles for the South Bay Lakers in their loss to the Motor City Cruise, 110-97.
In the previous matchup against the Cruise, Bronny James had his ups and downs. There were some bad turnovers, but there were also rebounds, assists and efficient shooting that made up for it.
However, this game for James against the Cruise was more negative than it was positive. Motor City came pressuring James with all they could throw at him and the young Laker struggled.
The aggressive defense from Motor City forced James to commit four turnovers. While James matched his turnover account with four assists, it didn’t matter as the errors with the ball overshadowed James' passing ability.
Along with turnovers, James had an unpleasant shooting performance. James missed all six three-point attempts and shot 5/16 on total field goals.
When James doesn't shoot well, it messes up the entire team's offense. Last game, James shot over 55 percent and the Lakers won by 18 points. However, in this game, James shot below 32 percent and South Bay lost by 13 points.
For James to be the most optimal he can be for a team, it is important that he shoots efficiently. Especially at the NBA level, where every shot attempt James has, it is needed to go in.
Despite the negative stats that James had from the box score, there was a positive in James' game. James was very effective as a slasher when he received most of his points from cutting to the basket.
“Just know there gonna pressure me a lot being on the body [just] took that opportunity to cut backdoor and get open ones,” said Bronny James.
The realization at a young age to move without the ball is a very important trait. When there are games where James can not make a shot, it is valuable that he can find easy buckets on offense.
Slashing to the basket is a habit that will not only work at the G League level but at the NBA stage as well. After a three point shot, the next most valuable shot in the NBA is a layup. If James can find way to get open layups he can be of use to any team he’s on.
The G League is good preparation for the NBA not only from a play-style standpoint, but also from a speed standpoint. The fast-paced game of the G League is a taste of how physical and athletic the NBA level is.
“Main thing for me is to get me into top tier shape, its a fast game, its definitely faster than the NBA,” said Bronny James. “Just getting that pace of shape for me is really good for me.”
James had his struggles from his play against the Cruise but the habits that hes picked up has been vital. The adaption to quick speed and moving without the ball are traits that will help James regardless if it’s his best game or not.
At the end of the day, James is only 20 years old and has seen time in the NBA and has proved to be a good player in the G League.
The poor performance tonight from James is not a sign of worry, but it’s a learning experience. James is getting more opportunities to face aggressive defenses as a point, something he will see throughout his entire basketball career.
