The Los Angeles Lakers dominated the league in the month of February. They went 10-2, winning games against many of the elite teams in the NBA. Any team with the offensive firepower the Lakers has a chance in a game. However, the offense was not the reason for the winning this month. The Lakers were able to climb the standings and make a push in the Western Conference because of their elite defense.
Los Angeles Lakers Defense In February
When the Los Angeles Lakers made the shocking trade for Luka Doncic, many fans and analysts immediately pointed to the problem of defense. Max Christie and Anthony Davis were shipped out, two players who were quality defenders. Doncic is known for his elite scoring ability but not his elite defense. While many people praised the trade in the long run, they did not expect the team to do anything this season. The trade was executed on February 1st, and Doncic didn’t make his debut until February 10th. For the month, the Lakers were elite in several defensive categories.
- Seventh in opponents’ 3-point shooting percentage
- Second in points per game allowed
- First in opponents’ points in the paint per game
- First in defensive field-goal percentage
- First in defensive rating
First in defensive rating. The Los Angeles Lakers, led by 40-year-old LeBron James and Doncic, led the league in defensive rating for the month. They held their opponents to less than 102 points seven times, including the last six games of the month. The defense has been an issue all season, but the team seems to be hitting its stride at the right time. What has changed?
What Has Led To The Change?
JJ Redick seems to be getting through to his players. Effort is often the biggest issue with a team’s defense. If the entire team does not want to give 100% effort on the defensive side of the ball, the entire team will struggle. Players are too good nowadays for lazy defense. The other thing that has helped the Los Angeles Lakers is key players returning from injury. Jarred Vanderbilt is back and is a solid interior defender, and the acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith has been a home run.
Team defense also sometimes takes a while to feel comfortable in. Redick is a first-year head coach. He and his staff may have needed some time to find the right buttons to push so the players understood it. On the flip side, players may have needed time to lock in and understand all the nuances. One thing is for sure. If the Los Angeles Lakers can keep this type to defensive effort up, they will be serious contenders in the West.
Final Thoughts
The Los Angeles Lakers are fourth in the West. They are only one game back from the two seed. While catching the Oklahoma City Thunder seems unlikely, getting the two seed in the conference would be huge for this team. From there, the combination of LeBron and Luka could be too much for teams to handle over seven games. Can they keep up the intensity in March?
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