Amidst the buzz surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers` acquisition of Luka Doncic on February 1st, a noteworthy event from that evening`s game might have been overlooked.
The Lakers secured a 128-112 victory against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, showcasing a robust defensive performance despite the absence of Anthony Davis, their defensive linchpin. Examining the game statistics reveals insights into their success: Knicks` primary scorers, Jalen Brunson (16 points, 7-18 shooting) and Karl-Anthony Towns (17 points, 3-12 shooting), experienced subpar shooting nights, while role players like Josh Hart (26 points, 11-16 shooting) compensated.
Further evidence emerged in their subsequent 122-97 win against the Clippers. James Harden struggled, scoring only seven points on 2-12 shooting, and Kawhi Leonard managed just 11 points on 4-11 shooting. This defensive trend continued in a 120-112 victory over the Warriors, where Stephen Curry, despite scoring 37 points, shot poorly from three-point range (6-20).
Over the ensuing month, during which the Lakers triumphed in 13 of 15 games and ascended the Western Conference rankings, opposing coaches and scouts scrutinized the Knicks game, seeking to decipher the Lakers` defensive approach. The team`s defense had remarkably transformed from 20th in the league during the initial three months to the top spot.
How did a team, missing their premier defender, restrict Brunson and Towns to a combined 30% shooting accuracy? What about the struggles of Harden, Leonard, and Curry? Were these merely instances of poor performance, or had the Lakers, known for employing smaller lineups, devised an unconventional defensive strategy to neutralize the NBA`s elite players?
ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins proposed that Los Angeles was strategically conceding three-point attempts, challenging teams to beat them from beyond the arc. Others highlighted the defensive contributions of Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent. One scout simply told ESPN, `I believe they are just playing with exceptional effort.`
While these observations held some truth, none fully elucidated the Lakers` defensive prowess in the absence of their two primary defensive stalwarts.
Furthermore, a crucial question remained: would the Lakers` defensive approach prove effective in the high-stakes environment of an NBA championship pursuit?
Around this period, former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski contacted JJ Redick, his former player and the Lakers` rookie head coach, to check in. Krzyzewski, a long-time NBA observer, had been particularly attentive to the Lakers` season.
`I reached out to him, jokingly questioning, “Who would have imagined you could coach defense?”` Krzyzewski recounted.
Redick had earned player of the year honors at Duke, but early in his NBA career, defensive limitations occasionally hindered his playing time. He eventually refined his defense, becoming a valuable contributor for teams like the Clippers, 76ers, and Pelicans.
`Their defensive approach appears straightforward,` Krzyzewski explained to ESPN, `yet it`s underpinned by extensive preparation. They effectively steer opponents towards taking shots from their less proficient shooters.`
The concept might seem basic: impede primary scorers while encouraging less skilled shooters. However, the Lakers` defensive framework is considerably more intricate, originating from Redick and his staff`s offseason analysis of officiating trends in NBA defenses against contemporary, spacing-oriented offenses.
Even with an exceptional defender like Davis, renowned for his rim protection, containing modern NBA superstars in pick-and-roll scenarios is exceedingly challenging due to the emphasis on three-point shooting.
Many teams prioritize acquiring perimeter defenders to at least slow down elite scorers before they engage a backline defender like Davis. However, current hand-checking foul interpretations make this approach increasingly difficult.
The Lakers entered the season facing another challenge: starting guards D`Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves, while offensively skilled, were not known for their one-on-one defensive prowess. Consequently, they developed a defensive system to mitigate this weakness and alleviate the defensive burden on Davis.
The strategy involved creating a perception of a congested court for the ball handler, rather than consistently directing offensive players towards Davis.
This approach yielded intermittent success in the season`s first half. However, the Lakers` defense solidified after acquiring Finney-Smith in late December, who became a more integrated part of the rotation in the weeks following.
Elite players will invariably find scoring opportunities. The Lakers` strategy focuses on leveraging analytics to pinpoint the least efficient shot types for each star player and then compelling them to take those shots, rather than their preferred, high-efficiency ones.
The Lakers effectively limit shots in the paint – only 39.9% of opponent shot attempts come from inside, ranking third-lowest in the NBA, according to GeniusIQ, an AI-driven sports analytics platform. Conversely, they allow a high volume of three-pointers; 49% of shots against them are from deep, the second-highest in the league.
Reflecting on the Knicks game, the Lakers swarmed Brunson and Towns, forcing them to pass to less potent offensive options like Hart, McBride, and Achiuwa. Brunson and Towns faced an average of 1.37 defenders per shot attempt, their third-highest double-team rate of the season, per GeniusIQ. In contrast, Hart and McBride averaged just 0.92 defenders per attempt, the seventh-lowest in games where they collectively attempted 20 or more shots.
Defenders guarding less dangerous players aggressively assist on primary threats, often leaving their assignments open. A notable example occurred with Vincent leaving McBride to obstruct a passing lane to Brunson, who was already contained by Christie.
This is a deliberate tactic. The Lakers employ double-teams inside the arc at the second-highest frequency in the NBA, second only to the Oklahoma City Thunder. In the aforementioned play, McBride, realizing his isolation and lack of options, attempted a three-pointer, which resulted in an air ball.
The loose ball fell directly into James`s hands, who, in Redick`s words, acts as the `quarterback` of the defensive scheme.
Redick designates James as the central decision-maker, relying on his high basketball IQ to dictate defensive coverages and real-time adjustments. `While “quarterback” is an offensive role, he serves as our defensive quarterback,` Redick stated. `His voice and basketball intelligence are pivotal.`
Observing the Lakers` defense reveals James as the orchestrator, consistently guiding teammates on positioning and timing.
`In a recent victory over the Rockets, there was a play where Reaves switched onto a larger player,` Redick noted. `Almost instantly, LeBron was yelling, “Scram! Get out, AR! Get out of there!” Plays like that enhance our defensive cohesion.`
The Lakers have encountered difficulties when James is off the court and absent from his quarterback role. Their performance dipped noticeably when James sustained a groin injury on March 8 against the Celtics. However, they regained their defensive rhythm upon his return on March 22. From January 30 to the regular season`s end, the Lakers ranked sixth in opponent three-point shooting percentage and eighth in defending three-point attempts per game.
Essentially, the Lakers concede a significant number of three-point attempts, but opponents convert them at a lower rate. According to GeniusIQ, opponents have shot 36.8% on wide-open three-pointers against the Lakers since January 30, the third-best rate `allowed` in the league during that period.
Why? Because the Lakers are effectively forcing less efficient shooters to take those three-point shots.
How? Through relentless communication, sometimes to the point of vocal strain.
James spearheads the communication when playing, but Vanderbilt, Finney-Smith, and Vincent also assume this role in his absence. Constant direction also emanates from the sidelines during defensive sequences, with assistant coach Greg St. Jean frequently becoming hoarse from calling out defensive assignments.
The outcome is a defense that collectively outperforms the sum of its individual parts. `People might perceive us as playing small,` Reaves remarked regarding the Lakers` often centerless lineups after Davis`s trade to Dallas. `However, we often have five players at 6-foot-7 or taller on the court… and when we are playing well, we operate as a cohesive unit.`
At times, their defense resembles a zone, as the Lakers pack the paint and rotate to close gaps and passing lanes. However, it`s not a pure zone defense. It`s a fusion of modern analytics with a classic, Bobby Knight-esque approach of denying open shots to players one pass away from the ball.
The objective is to maximize statistical probabilities, disrupt the opponent`s intended game plan, and force proficient scorers into taking suboptimal shots, while also inviting less capable players to shoot more frequently.
Effectively implementing this strategy requires time and unwavering trust in the system. When that trust falters, the defense can suffer significantly. Yet, it represents the Lakers` best defensive approach after parting ways with key defensive personnel.
In the upcoming first-round matchup against Anthony Edwards, a dynamic scorer and shooter, and the Minnesota Timberwolves, a team capable of playing with both large and small lineups, the Lakers` defense faces another significant test.
