Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton wants to see improvements defensively and says it will be the focus for the team in training camp.
Coming into the offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers had a few areas they knew they needed to improve. Offensively, it was specific areas, such as three-point shooting. Playmaking and passing will also be improved. Defensively, the whole thing needed an overhaul.
The defense was downright embarrassing for the Lakers last season. They were at the bottom of virtually every defensive stat during the 2016-17 season.
Los Angeles ranked 28th in the NBA, allowing 111.5 points per game. Opponents had very little resistance shooting the ball, as the Lakers allowed teams to shoot 48.3 percent from the field. That ranked them last in the NBA. They weren’t much better defending the three-point line, allowing teams to shoot 37 percent, which also ranked in the bottom five.
Part of the struggle was personnel. Head coach Luke Walton just didn’t have many defenders on the team. In the backcourt, the Lakers had all offensive-minded players. When your best defender in the backcourt is Nick Young, albeit a rejuvenated and re-focused Nick Young, you are in trouble.
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D’Angelo Russell, Lou Williams and Jordan Clarkson all are offensive minded players, but only Clarkson remains.
Free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was signed in part because of his defensive ability. He is one of the better perimeter defenders in the NBA, as he was always assigned to an opponent’s best player when with the Detroit Pistons. That should continue with the Lakers.
Brook Lopez, whom the Lakers acquired from the Brooklyn Nets in a package for Russell, will also help improve the defense as a rim protector.
The defense will be a key to the Lakers this season. if they want to improve their record, getting stops more consistently will be a big help. As a result, defense is where the focus will be for the Lakers in training camp.
When talking to Mike Trudell of NBA.com, Walton let it be known that defense will be the main focus of training camp.
"“Defense is everything to start,” he said. “It’s defense, defense, defense, because we want to run. We want to run every opportunity we can. But it’s a lot easier to run when you can get stops and you’re not taking the ball out of the net … Our focus is going to be on getting that ball, getting it to Lonzo and getting on those wings and running as fast as we can.”"
As Walton notes, having to take the ball out of bounds after a make is an easy way to slow a team down. It gives the opponent a chance to get back and set up their defense. If they are able to get a rebound and throw an outlet pass to get going quickly, the defense will not be able to get set.
Getting stops and getting into the open floor will create easy opportunities for the Lakers. They have a roster full of young guys that want to run. With Lonzo Ball now leading the show, the Lakers will find a lot of success in the open court if they are able to create the opportunities.
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The Lakers play on defense will determine just how much success the Lakers have this season. If they can improve to near league average, it will add multiple wins to their record. Improvement is what the Lakers are looking for this season, and with the players added to the roster, it should happen.