But for all of their depth and quality, crisp rotations and aggressive closeouts, the formula doesn’t work without Holmgren and Hartenstein. In Game 1, the Lakers converted just 58.6 percent of shots at the rim, good for the 25th percentile of all playoff games till date. In Game 2, that number rose slightly to 65.2 percent, but still ranked in the 41st percentile. For all the well-deserved praise of Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs and how often the Frenchman deters shots from the rim, Holmgren/Hartenstein isn’t out of the realm of effectiveness. With that pairing on the floor, playoff opponents are taking just 22 percent of shots at the rim, converting 59.0 percent of them.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: With that pairing on the floor, playoff opponents are …
