CREDIT: LFPRESS.COM
Tim Ellis has never seen this bad a start by his London Lightning in all three years he has played.

The London Lightning are last in the National Basketball League of Canada.

It's only two games, but the two-time defending champions have found themselves in the basement for the first time in franchise history.

The Lightning is subject to a small sample size but nonetheless it is very uncharacteristic stretch for the leagues historically best team. Here's what we can take away from their first two games.

During their 113-103 loss to the Windsor Express to open the season, the Lightning lost the rebounding war 36-50. Meanwhile, they were able to outrebound 55-43 in their matchup with the Mississauga Power (thanks to a ridiculous 24 offensive rebounds).

There hasn't really been any strong post play from their players. Alon'zo Coleman was going to be the big guy who will post up, but he has barely played (four minutes versus the Power). While at the other end of the court, they are ranked last in defensive rebounds per game. One of their biggest players, Marvin Phillips is usually patrolling the outside ready to shoot threes. Although he is a fantastic long-range shooter, they do lose his strength and rebounding skill.

Speaking about shooting, their three-pointers have been more onpar. Through two games they are ranked third in three-point percentage with a .375 total. During their game in Windsor, they shot 60 per cent from beyond the arch — incredible numbers — showing they had their plays locked down, being able to find the open man much easier. Phillips looked like their go-to guy for threes, shooting nine of the 15 attempts made by the team. However, against Mississauga they looked challenged, only shooting 25 per cent. Five players took more than two three-point attempts, suggesting they couldn't find the hot hand or that coach Micheal Ray Richardson hasn't found a number one sniper yet.

They have kept games close, though, thanks to some unusual point production. Saving them has been an unusually high free throw percentage at .790. That has actually provided a quarter of their point production thus far.

The team will have a couple weeks to get it together, before a big weekend. They play three games in three nights (home against Windsor, away at Brampton and home again against Mississauga) coming up on November 15, 16 and 17. If all goes well, they could find themselves above .500 in no time.

Marty Thompson is the play-by-play voice of the London Lightning for their livestream, SportsLive24.net.