three-point range

Perhaps Jarred Vanderbilt and his ability to defend can help the Lakers and their reeling defense.

Perhaps Vanderbilt can return to the rotation to help the Lakers’ defensive woes while guard Austin Reaves is out for approximately a week because of a mild left calf strain.

And perhaps Vanderbilt and the Lakers can get some immediate results for shoring up their defensive shortcomings when they face the Suns in Phoenix on Sunday afternoon.

The 6-foot-8 Vanderbilt is hopeful that his opportunity will come against the Suns and he turns that into a positive for the Lakers.

“Oh, yeah, I’m pretty eager,” he said after practice Saturday. “I mean, obviously, I think a lot of the stuff we lack, I think I can help provide on that end.”

In the last 10 games, Vanderbilt had only a three-minute stint against the Philadelphia 76ers because Jake LaRavia took a shot to the face that loosened a tooth.

The return of LeBron James and Vanderbilt’s offensive deficiencies left him out of the rotation. During much of that time the Lakers were winning, which meant Vanderbilt spent time on the bench.

In 15 games, Vanderbilt is three for 10 (26.6%) from three-point range. He was asked how he has been handling things.

“Good,” Vanderbilt said. “Controlling what I can control. Keep showing up to work, doing my part, supporting the team.”

Vanderbilt was asked if coach JJ Redick or any assistants have spoken to him about his role.

“Kind of here and there, I guess,” Vanderbilt said.

Vanderbilt was seen after practice Saturday working with an assistant coach on his shooting, just like he did after practice Friday and like he has done while not playing.

Redick said Reaves, who played against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night, wasn’t sure when the calf became an issue, and “we’re obviously gonna be cautious with it.”

“It’s a mild strain, Grade 1, and he’ll be out for a week,” Redick said, adding, “I would venture to say every player is a little bit different, but players now are becoming more cautious — to use that word again — more cautious when they get those diagnosis with the calf. Everything looks clean. It’s not in the deep part.”

The Lakers have looked at the last 10 games during the film sessions as a barometer for their defensive problems. But in reality, the Lakers have not been very good on defense all season while producing a 17-7 record because of their stellar offense.

“It’s been a trending thing even when we was winning, so I think like you said, the defense still wasn’t there, but we was just outscoring everybody,” Vanderbilt said. “So, I think obviously during the loss, it’s an appropriate time to address certain things just so it won’t keep lingering and get worse.”

The Lakers are 18th in the NBA in points given up (116.8), 22nd in opponents’ field-goal percentage (48.1%) and 27th in opponents’ three-point shooting (38.2%).

They will face a Suns team that defeated them Dec. 1 at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers were unable to stop Collin Gillesipie, who had 28 points and was eight for 14 from three-point range, and Dillon Brooks, who had 33 points.

It hasn’t gotten better in the ensuing days. The Spurs loss was the Lakers’ third in the last five games.

“Nobody likes to go watch film after you get your ass kicked,” guard Marcus Smart said. “It’s tough because the film never lies. And it exposed us a lot, which we already knew. We were just winning a lot of games. So it was mitigated that way, but it was straight to it: We have to be able to guard.

“The scouting report against us is we’re not guarding people. And if we want to be great in this league and do what we’re trying to do, you have to be able to guard, especially in the West. These guys are no joke, and they’re coming. And especially [if] you got the Lakers across your jersey. They’re definitely coming with everything they have. So you can’t be expecting any surprises. And that’s what it was. It wasn’t no sugarcoating anything. It was, ‘This is what we got to do.’ We’ve been asked. Let’s fix it.”

Jazzy Davidson glanced up at the basket, with less than two minutes remaining in USC’s Big Ten opener against Washington, and considered her options. Nothing had fallen all night from three-point range for the Trojans. It took 25 minutes Saturday just to see one three-pointer drop, and only two had dropped the entire night.

But the mere threat of the freshman pulling up from range, even on a night defined by defensive struggle, was enough to give Davidson the space she needed. She raced past her defender and toward the basket, lifting up for a finger roll lay-in that would propel USC past Washington for good in a 59-50 victory.

It was coach Lindsay Gottlieb’s 100th win with the Trojans.

All game long, No. 16 USC (7-2 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) and No. 21 Washington (8-1, 0-1) had battled, neither team ever managing to mount a double-digit lead. The Trojans seized the lead in the third quarter, but every effort to pull away was squashed by the Huskies.

A late flurry from a familiar face in former Trojan guard Avery Howell, who scored 11 points after the half, would keep Washington within striking distance until the final minutes.

But USC refused to back down. With under five minutes, Londynn Jones forced a turnover, dove for a loose ball and started a breakaway that was finished by Kara Dunn. Kennedy Smith hit a turnaround jumper in the paint on the next trip down. And then with less than two minutes, Davidson took off through the lane, extending the lead to five.

It was a furious end to what had otherwise been an ugly night offensively. USC finished 23 of 60 from the field after starting two of 17. It never quite found its stride from deep, either, hitting just two of 17 also.

Davidson would lead the way with 22 points, while Smith was the only other Trojan in double figures with 13.

Nothing fell for USC early on, setting the tone for a tough defensive battle. For the first 8:31, the Trojans were held scoreless. They missed their first 11 shots. Davidson missed her first five attempts.

But as its offense struggled early, USC’s stifling defense did its part to muddy up the game. After one quarter, neither team was shooting better than 16%. They combined to score just 12 points in the first 10 minutes.

USC would finally shake off the slow start in the second, as Davidson and Smith found their stride, shooting five of six in the quarter. The Trojans climbed back accordingly and tied the score just before the half.

They’d fly out into the lead a few minutes after that, never quite letting Washington catch up.