Picking It Up

In the off-season, the Lakers acquired one of the league's best pick-and-roll practitioners: point guard Steve Nash, who was eighth last year in efficiency among p-and-r ballhandlers. Even though he had a perfect new partner in Dwight Howard—the second-most-efficient roll man—Mike Brown never turned Nash loose. Here are his pick-and-roll possessions per game:

Nash in 2011--12 (with Suns)

21.3 1st in NBA

Nash in 2012--13 (with Lakers)

7.5 42nd

But new coach Mike D'Antoni runs the play far more often:

D'Antoni in 2010--11 (with Knicks*)

27.0 11th

Brown in 2011--12 (with Lakers*)

17.0 29th