After the first three games of the new NBA season for the Los Angeles Lakers, there are reasons to be hopeful, but there are also at least as many reasons to be concerned.
For one, they have been unable to defend the 3-point line effectively for long stretches. The Denver Nuggets shot 41.2% from downtown on opening night against them, and the Sacramento Kings were red-hot from that distance for the first three quarters on Sunday.
But there is another troubling trend that seems to be emerging for Los Angeles. In each of its first three games, it has trailed by double digits in the first quarter and has played from behind for most of the time.
It was able to get away with it versus the Phoenix Suns on Thursday by overcoming a 12-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter to win, 100-95. The Lakers almost got away with it again on Sunday by forcing overtime, only to lose. But playing from behind so often is very difficult, and it will quickly deplete a team, both physically and emotionally.
They will be right back at it on Monday night when they host the Orlando Magic, a team one figures they should be able to defeat without too much trouble. But having to do so after falling behind yet again would be an even bigger red flag, especially with the Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat, as well as another game against the Suns, on the schedule over the next two weeks.
