}~~~> Official 2024/2025 NBA Thread<~~~{ these front offices be doing the most
- Thread starter Mask
- Start date
Without Anthony Davis, LeBron James is the leading force of the Lakers' recent surge on defense
STEPHEN NOH
5 hours ago•4:00 am CST
After the Lakers made the Luka Doncic trade, their defense was widely expected to crater. Anthony Davis was named a First Team All-Defensive player last season and had been the linchpin of the Lakers defense ever since arriving to town. Max Christie was one of the team's best wing defenders. And Doncic has a reputation as a poor defender.
It's somewhat shocking then that the exact opposite has happened. Davis last logged a game for the Lakers on Jan. 28. In the 12 games since that date, Los Angeles has the best defense in the league per NBA Stats. They've been winning on the back of that strong defense, which was ranked 21st before the Doncic trade.
What has caused this startling turnaround? It's been a combination of great coaching, excellent play from LeBron James, and a little bit of luck.
LeBron James, JJ Redick lead Lakers to elite defense
JJ Redick's switch-heavy scheme
Redick has cited the importance of staying connected and putting forth maximum effort on defense. That's certainly part of the equation, but there are also schematic changes that he is making to help the team defend at such a high level.The biggest takeaway from the Lakers defense as compared to how they operated under Darvin Ham is in how frequently they switch on screens. That requires elite communication that Redick has emphasized, and it neutralizes some the weaknesses that players like Doncic have in screen navigation.
The Lakers have also in some ways benefited from not having great center depth outside of Jaxson Hayes. They've been forced to play smaller, with Dorian Finney-Smith and Rui Hachimura moving up in position. That has allowed them to switch even more, given their versatility as defenders. Finney-Smith has been terrific overall and a massively underrated addition.
Jarred Vanderbilt is also capable of guarding multiple positions and the Lakers' best point of attack defender. His return from injury at the end of January overlaps with the team's meteoric rise on that end of the floor. That is not a coincidence.
Finney-Smith and Vanderbilt have been holding down the wing. Behind them, one of the smartest players in the league has been cleaning up things at the rim.
LeBron James, All-Defensive player?
It's been a very uneven defensive campaign for LeBron this season. His effort somewhat understandably wasn't where it needed to be at the start of the year given his age, and he was a part of the team's early struggles. He's started to ramp up considerably though ever since the middle of December (check out the data from NBA data viz account Sravan). He has been the most important part of the Lakers' turnaround, and it's coming at the right time."LeBron's playing at an All-NBA defense level," Redick told reporters after beating the Mavericks on Wednesday. "People may have perceptions of what he is as a defender. I watch it every night. He doesn't get scored on in isolation if teams do try to target him. He blows plays up, he's always in the right position, shifting, recovering."
The numbers back up Redick's observations. It's too small of a sample to take too much from, but LeBron ranks in the 99.7th percentile of all defenders in isolation situations this season per NBA Stats. Opponents are shooting just 3-of-23 against him in those situations.
LeBron still has those bursts of great athleticism, but he isn't the speed demon that he was while with the disruptive Heat back in his 20's. He relies much more on positioning and terrific anticipation to get his steals now. He knows exactly where the ball is going.
Redick credited LeBron's defense during crunch time of that Wednesday win, noting how he was rotating to be in the right spot in holding the Mavericks to just eight points during the final six minutes of the game.
LeBron hasn't reached the level of an All-Defensive defender. But he is playing the best defense of any 40-year-old to ever play in the NBA, and it's not particularly close.
This Lakers defense will come down a little bit
The new Lakers defense is good, but not to the level that it looks. They're not going to be the best defense in the league post All-Star break.Part of their success lies in a weak schedule. They've faced several of the worst offenses in the league, including the Wizards, Hornets, Blazers, Clippers, and Jazz twice. Anthony Edwards was ejected in the third quarter of their recent win against the Wolves, which played a part in keeping them to only 102 points.
That soft schedule shouldn't get too much credit. They have also taken on some of the best offenses like the Knicks and Nuggets, holding those powerhouses to respectable numbers.
Another piece of the puzzle is opponent shooting luck. League-average 3-point percentage this season is at 35.8 percent. Lakers opponents have been shooting just 32.3 percent during their current streak per NBA Stats. Generally speaking, teams missing 3's is more a factor of luck than anything that a team is doing well. That percentage will climb up as the season continues.
Even though the Lakers are benefiting from some luck, they have been much better than they were at the beginning of the year. This is an improved unit with better schemes, more buy in, and underrated additions to the rotation. Their offense has been solid all year. Their defense catching up makes this a very dangerous team to face in the playoffs.
Yep. Those boys aggressive on both sides of the ball
Usually you don't get brothers playing the same way.
They "really" cut from the same cloth(literally!!!)
Two good pickups to change two bad teams around...Quickly!!....impressive!!!
Steph Curry is the only player under 6'4 in the top 25 scorers list
Everyone else is 6'4 or better
The oldest player to average 23ppg at 6'3 or under was Jerry West at age 33
Steph has done it at 33,34,35,36
1 of 1 literally
Everyone else is 6'4 or better
The oldest player to average 23ppg at 6'3 or under was Jerry West at age 33
Steph has done it at 33,34,35,36
1 of 1 literally
5 on 3 on offense.
Is it ever 4 on 5 on defense because of Steph?
Was the single most iconic play of this entire run not a Game 7 shot in Steph’s face because the other team opted not to give the last shot to LeBron James but to instead exploit Steph as a defensive liability?
Big Buddha dude
oh please.
This dude is crying at night because he feels unappreciated
Does Lebron need more dickriders than he already has
@KingTaharqa Let NBACentral know you got lebron covered for all extra the dick riding events
Damn, who knew 2/27 was “Move over Patrick Ewing” Day?
oh please.
This dude is crying at night because he feels unappreciated
Does Lebron need more dickriders than he already has
@KingTaharqa Let NBACentral know you got lebron covered for all extra the dick riding events
Now Gilbert is on First Take
Klutch Sports.
All the Jordan guys and old heads will continue to be let go from mainstream media and they'll all be dead in a decade. None of that Jordan bullshit is even gone be remembered. It's gonna die with them.
What do them podding have to do with KAT being a garbage defensive player?
Perk doesn't know what the fuck he's talking about. He should know how much down time they have. It would be better if they were tricking on hoes, going to clubs or playing video games with their free time?
Changing of the guard. MJ dickeaters have ruined NBA discourse. Time to move on from those clowns. Hopefully Gilbert calls out Stephen A on his bullshit.Now Gilbert is on First Take
"KD and Bron are gonna flip primes. When Bron declines, KD is gonna be doing what he's doing now"-Team Light Skin in 2012
Dude started his show with a 15 minute long rant about this SMH lol
@Beeiii if I was repping the most notoriously racist NBA city, I’d refrain from
reactions to posts about black/brown liberation.Kyrie > your entire city
Lol... guess he ain't getting that NBC job...
He called The Decision “self-aggrandizement at its height”…
While being a sports broadcaster floating actual accomplished politicians who he would have serve in his cabinet.
The Official President Stephen A. Smith Thread
Politico: Meet the latest — and oddest — 2028 Democratic prospect FIRST TAKE — When Democrats fade into their happy place — 2028 — there’s a long roster of familiar governors, senators and other party officials that they run through for potential candidates. And in recent weeks, the buzz for...
www.bgol.us
It's going to be a great day.....Cavs about to lose their 3rd game to the Celtics this year(same as last year)
Cavs last loss(8-game win streak right now).........to the Celtics again
Cavs started the season 15-0(15 game win streak), Celtics gave them their first beating of the year (15-1)
Cavs only had single digits in losses(8 games ago...40-9) Celtics put that double digit losses on them(40-10)
Cavs now on a 8-game win streak (since their celtics loss) and they were
forced to pickup "the Celtics stopper" De'Andre Hunter to stop the constant beatings by the Celtics.
Good Eastern Conference finals taste tonight....you got to love it
Exactly. And too stupid to realize his long as tired rant does nothing but prove LeBrons point.