Lakers newsletter: How the Lakers couldn’t make a shot but still won their opener

Hey everyone, this is Dan Woike and welcome to The Times’ Lakers newsletter, where we talk about a team that just managed to do the impossible — win on opening night and during a LeBron James milestone game. It was a real “negative multiplied by a negative equals a positive” situation Tuesday night.

Anyways, some more from the game and a look ahead.

The value of shooting — even just as a concept

The Lakers were one of four teams to shoot worse than 30% from three this preseason, so it shouldn’t be too big of a surprise that they started the season slowly from distance.

In their win against Minnesota, the Lakers made only five of 30 from three, an appallingly bad shooting night for a team that’s spent real time and effort trying to shoot more from deep.

So how did they win? And why was it so surprising?

The Lakers became just the 11th team since the introduction of the three-point shot to attempt 30 or more threes and make five or fewer and still win. (Good news, the 2019-20 Lakers were one of the other teams to pull this off.)

In talking to players and coaches after the game, a few things stood out as to how they managed to beat Minnesota on a night when they couldn’t get a shot to fall.

For one, Minnesota really struggled. The Timberwolves turned the ball over 15 times, new acquisitions Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo were fairly quiet, and it took them until the second half to play with any real defensive force.

But two, the Lakers played incredibly hard, from LeBron James on down, in their first game under JJ Redick. They, not Minnesota, “punched first,” as NBA coaches love to say, dictating the physicality with their effort and speed.

Three, the Lakers made good on their promise to be more physical on the offensive glass. They created 15 offensive rebounds with effort and intentionality — Austin Reaves had four of them.

And, probably most important, Anthony Davis dominated. Some of that dominance, though, can be attributed to the Lakers properly spacing the floor around him and at least being threats to shoot from three even if they couldn’t buy a basket. While the quality of three-point shot went down from a typical Lakers game last season, the volume of attempts and the motion to create them gave Davis more room to attack Rudy Gobert without the threat of help coming to double.

The Lakers will need to make shots to have a successful season, and the double teams on Davis are coming sooner rather than later, but Tuesday night, the willingness and intention from beyond the three-point line was enough to pull the Timberwolves away from the rim and give the Lakers a chance for an improbable win.

One last note on Bronny James and his debut

Bronny James and LeBron James leave the court after a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

There has been continued discussion about Bronny James’ chances as a NBA player. It’s deserved, particularly because of the circumstances surrounding him joining the Lakers.

But good or bad or whatever else, Tuesday was a special accomplishment for him considering the trauma he suffered at USC when he lost consciousness during an episode of cardiac arrest last year. The time on the court with his father Tuesday night was short and ultimately didn’t matter in the final score. History and family aside, any player going through that kind of adversity and being in a position to compete in the NBA makes for a nice moment.

Song of the week

“Winding Road” by Bonnie Somerville

I was very excited to see there would be a 20th-anniversary celebration and concert for the soundtrack to “Garden State,” a movie that’s musically just a beautiful time capsule for people my age. I often use this space to talk traveling songs, and last week while flying from Phoenix to San Francisco, I listened to the soundtrack and was reminded how much I love this song. Simple, relaxing, wistful — it pairs wonderfully with a flight.

In case you missed it

Anthony Davis dominates opener as Lakers’ offense runs through him

Inside the mindset that led JJ Redick to coaching — and his first win

LeBron and Bronny James make history in Lakers’ season-opening win

LeBron James is ready to savor history tonight with son Bronny

JJ Redick’s earnest approach leads the Lakers into new era

Lakers sign Quincy Olivari to two-way contract, waive Colin Castleton

Rookie Dalton Knecht shows why the Lakers think they got a steal in the draft