Los Angeles Lakers: 4 Takeaways from loss to Trail Blazers

4 of 5

PORTLAND, OR – OCTOBER 18: JaVale McGee #7 of the Los Angeles Lakers goes up to block the shot of Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers on October 18, 2018 at the Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Defense struggles

I love me some JaVale McGee! Lakers fans should too. This guy plays so hard, the Lakers should sign him to an extension now! Just look at what he does…

He will dunk on you…HARD!

https://twitter.com/BR_NBA/status/1053149126655860737

Play strong defense…run the floor and dunk on you again!

https://twitter.com/BR_NBA/status/1053130231853142016

But this man has NO HELP! NONE! We’ve already talked about how the Blazers guards went off, but when he sits down, the defense collapses.

How bad is the defense? Well…

D
A
M
E pic.twitter.com/dTKABZOVhs
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) October 19, 2018

Damian Lillard gets little resistance from Rajon Rondo who goes by him. LeBron James misses the rotation and Lillard gets the easy dunk…press play!

How many people even knew Nik Stauskas was still in the NBA? If so how many people remember him playing a game like last night? That’s my point.

Damian Lillard looked like he could care less for about three quarters and McCollum did not shoot very well. That’s fine. Great, but you can’t let Nik Stauskas shoot himself in to a NICKNAME!

Sauce Castillo?

I mean MY GOD! Where’s the defensive pride here?

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1053153081473490944

Take a look at these highlights and you see a common theme…Lance Stephenson. Stephenson has been atrocious on defense all preseason and in this game. It seems Lance is all about this..

Lance gets fancy for his first @Lakers bucket! #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/I71VW0W3jE
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) October 19, 2018

…and not stopping Nik Stauskas from smoking him like a pack of Kools on the other end. This is one of the major reasons why Lance only saw the court for 16 minutes! Lakers fans, this team can give you all the highlights you want because right now if you have paid attention, a lot of flash, not enough substance.

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