Los Angeles Lakers Preseason: The Lake Show battle the champs!

3. Who’s playing the four and five on the back line?

This seems like nitpicking early in the season when you are playing the Nuggets and the Kings…

"I’ll say it again…positionless basketball is nice to talk about, but the NBA is about matchups. The way things are going right now, I am on the record now saying that the Los Angeles Lakers are in trouble. Defensively, the Lakers cannot stop a soul down low when JaVale McGee sits down and they struggle even when he is on the floor."

Let’s look at what has happened to the Lakers back line this season…

https://twitter.com/nuggets/status/1047317994324385792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1047317994324385792&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Flakeshowlife.com%2F2018%2F10%2F04%2Flos-angeles-lakers-watch-sacramento-kings%2F

Umm…the Warriors have better, more athletic players than this dude!

Have you seen the Warriors play the pick and roll?

https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1048763200634728451?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1048763200634728451&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Flakeshowlife.com%2F2018%2F10%2F08%2Flos-angeles-lakers-preseason-clippers-win-battle-of-l-a-103-87%2F

Breaking News to Lake Show Life! There are reports that Stephen Curry has a nice handle.

My point…

The Lakers HAVE to stop dribble penetration. The Warriors are loaded on the perimeter, but the guards have to resist letting Curry, Durant and Co. break down the defense and kicking to the corner for the 3-point shot.

Even more important, the Lakers defensive rotations have been bad from the gate. Seemingly, the stories have been around the fit of the roster and LeBron James highlights. What is killing the Lakers have been the problems on the defensive end. Outside of Brandon Ingram locking up the Kings in the fourth quarter, the Lakers have had layup lines for the guards and some of these.

Bottom line…

The back line is too small even with JaVale McGee, and the Lakers defensive execution is not good enough to overcome the matchup problems because of lack of size. Luke Walton needs to address this or this game will be over by the first quarter.