Lakers: How to Improve Defense at Point Guard (video)

The first rule of defense is, “Stop the basketball.”  The Lakers need to start before the first rule even begins. Let’s try, “Know your people.”

What does that mean? It’s simple really. NBA teams all have a general idea of what each player on the floor is capable of. If there was some commitment to stopping a player’s best moves, it’s usually committed to in the playoffs.

This time around, the Lakers didn’t really respect their opponent. The Minnesota Timberwolves are a young team full of athletic talent. In fact, it’s arguable that their best talent is getting playing time now that the veterans in Ricky Rubio and Pekovic are out with injuries.

Essentially, they played against the Timberwolves’ second unit.

They didn’t respect them at all.

Zach LaVine got started early. He started with a contested, pull-up jumpshot over Ronnie Price. That at least could be considered acceptable, since the shot was contested. But, there’s little Price can do about LaVine’s height, wingspan, and vertical ability.

On LaVine’s second field goal attempt, he took a 5′ jump shot in the lane. Lin did a solid job staying in front of him. LaVine had a quick first step, but there was zero help in the lane outside of Lin.  At the 49 second mark, two Laker defenders were easily screened off on a pick-and-roll situation.  After a couple of transition baskets, LaVine’s confidence grew.

Jeremy Lin started to fade off of screens. He went behind them a few times. LaVine was left wide open. There was no hard-hedge by the second defender. LaVine just knocked them down. By the 2:34 mark, he had four transition baskets, hit four pull-up jumpshots, and was confident enough to attack the basket all the way through; And-1.

LaVine showed why he can be a dangerous point guard. He has the height and the length of a shooting guard, and has rare air on his jumpshot.  He simply shot over Jeremy Lin on five jumpshots and hit them all.

So, what can the Lakers do to adjust?

1. Respect the opponent. Just because a player is a rookie doesn’t mean he lacks talent or confidence.
2. Know what they do best. LaVine waltzed down the lane with transition baskets, pull-up jumpshots, and pick-and-roll play.  These are his three favorite offensive moves to execute.
3. Help. Want to break a player’s confidence on the offensive end? Let them know that they’ll face a wall on dribble penetration and in transition. LaVine only saw the rim.
4. Hedge hard on pick-and-roll play. Make the ball-handler stop his dribble, away from the basket.

The Lakers can live with contested 20′ jumpshots. They can’t afford to give up the layups in half-court play and in transition.

While Lin didn’t exactly play the most energized, intense defense out there, the help rotation was absolutely non-existent.

The Lakers can’t get stops if they can’t help each other out, even with the most basic of defensive plays.