Rookie Anthony Brown still struggling on offense
Lakers’ Anthony Brown, right, commits a foul type against Denver Nuggets’ Kenneth Faried in the second quarter on Wednesday.
It has been a slow, uneven season for Lakers rookie Anthony Brown.
Brown is not progressing the way he thought he would. But he admitted being unsure of what steps to take along the way.
He started the last two games Kobe Bryant was out because of a sore shoulder, but Brown was back on the bench as a reserve Wednesday night against Denver.
He started the second half because Bryant couldn’t finish the game because of his shoulder. Brown played 31 minutes, including all 12 minutes in the fourth quarter, and scored six points.
“You always figure it could be better,” Brown said. “It’s hard to say if it was expected because I didn’t know what to expect. I would consider it a little bit slower.”
Brown averaged 14.8 points as a senior at Stanford, and he figured he wouldn’t have much to adjust to offensively when he was drafted in the second round (34th overall) by the Lakers.
But that has not been the case. His offense still needs work, his 3.8-point scoring average on 30.7% shooting telling that truth.
For the most part Wednesday, Brown was hesitant on offense, unsure when to shoot and when to pass. He made only two of six shots from the field.
“It’s a different adjustment, especially when you’re in college, you’re the guy,” Brown said. “It’s different.”
The 6-foot-7 Brown is considered a solid defender for a rookie by the Lakers because of his length, because he’s active and is willing.
“I wouldn’t say my offense is behind my defense,” Brown said. “I think I grasp the defensive concepts a little bit more. I’ve figured out how to play within this team defensively better than offensively. But I still have confidence in my offense. It’s just finding when and where I can get the shots that I know I can hit consistently.”
Etc.
The Lakers announced that an exam on reserve guard Lou Williams on Wednesday revealed that he has a strained left hamstring and will be out a minimum of one week. Williams was injured during the Lakers’ game Tuesday night against Brooklyn at Staples Center.
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