The Los Angeles Lakers are winning games, but theyre doing it in spite of some of the worst perimeter shooting in the league.
After their victory over the Utah Jazz pushed them to a 12-4 record, both LeBron James and head coach JJ Redick made one thing abundantly clear: they are not losing sleep over the three-point drought.
James, speaking to reporters postgame, didnt mince words.
It wont last, James said in the locker room. Were not worried about it. Weve got too many good shooters. It wont last.
Lebron on the Lakers shooting woes:
It wont last. Were not worried about it. We got too many good shooters it wont last pic.twitter.com/roenjWBcHn
Oh No He Didnt (@ohnohedidnt24) November 24, 2025
That confidence comes at a time when the Lakers sit 26th in three-point attempts and 26th in three-point percentage, hitting just 33.3 percent on the season.
Even with the spacing issues, Los Angeles has surged to one of the best records in the Western Conference and is tied with Denver for the second-best mark in the standings.
Redick echoed Jamess stance, telling the media he sees the bigger picture beyond the box score.
I told the guys this after the game. Were literally one of the worst shooting teams in the NBA right now. I dont think thats who we are. Weve gotta make shots and weve gotta shoot em with confidence and to me, if were guarding with that level of physicality and passing the ball to each other. Look, we had 23 assists, we could have easily had 30-some if we made shots tonight. Weve gotta shoot the ball better, but its gotta be a belief in each other and a belief in ourselves to knock down shots.
JJ Redick: I told the guys this after the game: Were literally one of the worst shooting teams in the NBA right now. I dont think thats who we are. Weve gotta make shots and weve gotta shoot em with confidence pic.twitter.com/wsiJY4fJcm
Oh No He Didnt (@ohnohedidnt24) November 24, 2025
Individually, the numbers back up Redicks point. Luka Doncic is hitting a career-low 31.1 percent from deep. Austin Reeves is in the same slump, while Marcus Smart is shooting 24 percent despite taking the third-most attempts on the roster. Rui Hachimura is the only rotation player above 35 percent from long range.
However, from mid range and in the paint, the team is thriving funnily enough.
The Lakers are DOMINATING in the paint & midrange this season:
1st in FG%
1st in 2P FG%
1st in 0-3 foot FG%
1st in 3-10 foot FG%
1st 10-16 foot FG%
2nd in FTA
3rd fewest fouls per game pic.twitter.com/oa9Tzfn6zFBasketball Forever (@bballforever_) November 24, 2025
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