The Lakers' season-long battle with the three-point line hit a new low last night in their 15-point loss to the Clippers. A team already ranked 25th in the league in three-point percentage (34.3%) managed just 6-of-38 from deep - a brutal 16% clip that made every miss feel heavier than the last.
With Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton out, Jake LaRavia got the nod in the starting lineup. On paper, the fourth-year forward delivered a solid stat line: 12 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists.
But the shooting woes that have plagued him all season didn’t take the night off. LaRavia went 0-for-4 from beyond the arc, continuing a cold streak that’s become hard to ignore.
After shooting a career-best 42.3% from three last season, he’s dipped to a career-low 30.5% this year - a drop-off that’s been tough to reconcile given his shooting pedigree.
LaRavia didn’t shy away from the slump postgame, acknowledging both the frustration and the belief in his shot. “I know I’m a good shooter, everyone on the staff knows I’m a good shooter, everyone on the team knows I’m a good shooter,” he said.
“At some point, I have to make shots. Obviously, been in a slump pretty much this entire season outside of that first stretch of games where I was making some.
But they’ll drop.”
That confidence is important - and the Lakers are going to need it to translate into results. Especially if Luka Doncic misses extended time, Los Angeles will be leaning even harder on its supporting cast to provide spacing and offensive balance. In today’s NBA, shooting in the mid-30s from deep just doesn’t cut it, particularly for a team with championship aspirations.
That means LaRavia isn’t the only one under the microscope. Role players like Marcus Smart, Gabe Vincent, and rookie Dalton Knecht will be called on to hit open looks and stretch defenses. Their ability to knock down threes consistently could be the difference between a deep playoff run and another frustrating early exit.
The Lakers return to the floor Tuesday against the Suns, looking not just for a win, but for signs that their shooting slump - and LaRavia’s in particular - might finally be turning a corner.