Aftera slow defensive start to the season, it’s been clear that the Lakers have turned a corner on that end of the floor.
And their victories overthe Knicks on SundayandTimberwolves on Tuesday, their two best wins of the season, highlighted how much progress they’ve made.
Based on their roster construction, the Lakers weren’t projected to be one of the league’s best defenses.
And they knew this too, hoping to be around average on that end of the floor.
But their start to the season was far from it.
Through nearly the first half of the season, the Lakers were an abysmal defensive team, ranking No. 26 in defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) at 117.9 in their first 40 games through Jan. 18.
They struggled on the perimeter, easily allowing drives to the basket because of their lack of containment. Their transition defense – or lack of it – was a regular topic of discussion. And they didn’t help themselves with their turnovers, creating easier scoring opportunities for opponents.
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The Lakers struggled to protect the rim and allowed opponents to shoot a high percentage on 3-pointers – a bad recipe for defensive success.
There hasn’t been a drastic turnaround over the last 7 ½ weeks.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
