- I watched that Lakers-Houston game-- that was as well as the Lakers have played. It's one game, it doesn't mean a ton-- let's-- let's not go crazy here. Houston's a much better team-- if they played them in a seven-game series, Lakers would be lucky to win a game. But when Lonzo Ball came into this league, I said he'd never be a great scorer, but he had a chance to be a culture changer like Steph Curry-- Steph Curry three-point shot is a revolution in this league.
And there's something that I've always felt about people-- selfish people are contagious, and so are giving people. If you watched the Lakers last night, they had 27 assists. The Lakers last year were 26th in assists. This year, they're ninth. The major change has been Lonzo Ball. Passing is contagious, and so is selfish. Kobe's last year with the Lakers? They were dead last in assists. Carmelo Anthony's career in New York with the Knicks? One year they were dead last. They averaged about 25th to 26th.
What's remarkable about what Lonzo is doing is the Lakers only have one true three-point shooter, Kyle Kuzma. Brandon Ingram's OK. The Lakers right now are last in three-point percentage, and they're the worst free throw shooting team in the league, too. This is a roster that does not have many great shooters, and they're currently ninth in the NBA in assists. That is Lonzo Ball. He is not a bust. In fact, what he is is what we sort of predicted-- a long, angular, very giving player who guys are going to want to play with. He'll never be a great scorer. I don't think he's athletic enough or dynamic enough to be a superstar.
But in my life, one thing that is absolutely true in every work environment-- selfish is contagious. And if your star, Kobe and Melo, are selfish people, that bleeds down. And giving and unselfish is equally contagious, and the Lakers right now in this league are a top third to top quarter assist team, and there's no way they should even be close. They have one elite shooter on the entire roster. He's not going to be a bust.
The win last night doesn't mean a ton. But if you sat and watched that game for two and 1/2 hours, and I did, it is noticeable the influence Lonzo has-- giving it up, giving it up, passing. You give it up, you get it back, you give it up, you get it back. Feed the guy who's hot-- he's hungry. That was a great win for the Lakers, but more than that, it is a continuing statement on how they're changing. Give them more three-pointers, this could be this could be the Warriors of passing, and passing-- great passing-- leads to a lot of great shots.