The arrival of Luka Dončić was expected to significantly boost the Los Angeles Lakers’ offensive output. However, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports that the team’s defensive improvement has been even more remarkable. Evaluators across the league have been impressed by the defensive efforts of Dončić, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves.
Los Angeles Lakers Now Playing Well Above NBA Standard On Defense
“Even their biggest defensive liabilities in Reaves, LeBron and Luka, who is only so-so, are playing well above their defensive standards,” a Western Conference scout told McMenamin.
While the trade for Dončić necessitated sending defensive anchor Anthony Davis to Dallas, they have effectively compensated for his absence. McMenamin highlighted the team’s defensive dominance between January 30th and March 6th, a period spanning Davis’s final game with the Lakers and James’s groin injury.
During this stretch, the Lakers led the NBA in defensive efficiency. According to Second Spectrum tracking, they also ranked first in opponent three-point percentage allowed, second in transition defense, and third in field goal percentage allowed on layups and dunks.
These defensive improvements have propelled the Lakers to a 42-25 record, placing them just one game behind the Denver Nuggets for third place in the Western Conference. With James nearing his return from injury, Los Angeles’s strengthened defense positions them as a formidable contender in the playoffs.