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Los Angeles Lakers: 3 Tips to improve things on the defensive end

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 29: Taj Gibson #67 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots the ball against Kyle Kuzma #0 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the third quarter of the game on October 29, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Lakers 124-120. 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. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 29: Taj Gibson #67 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots the ball against Kyle Kuzma #0 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the third quarter of the game on October 29, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Lakers 124-120. 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. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

Here are three tips for the Los Angeles Lakers to improve things on the defensive end.

The Los Angeles Lakers are now riding a two-game losing streak after losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-120 on Monday night. Another close loss. Another mini-losing steak and multiple discussions (or patience reminders) about what the Lakers need to do in this short stint in the season to turn the season around. Well there is a funny quote going around these days about patience…

Sure C-Webb, keep believing that. LeBron is not stupid folks. He knows that the Lakers are in trouble. He knows that enough of these two or three-game losing streaks could have him hanging out with his “Banana Boat” buddies early this year. Sure, his teams have started out slowly in the past like this Lakers team. But there was a difference, those teams were veteran laden with stars to “figure it out” and this team relies on young talent.

LeBron James stuffed the stat sheet again scoring 29 points, grabbing ten rebounds and dishing out seven assists. Brandon Ingram came back after a mandatory four-game unpaid vacation with 24 points, while Kyle Kuzma finished with 19 points.

There are plenty of issues with this team that has nothing to do with patience, young players or “figuring it out”.

Before I go into my take on what really is wrong with this team, let’s have Luke Walton go into what is going on with the team in his opinion…

Hmm…that’s interesting! I saw those issues say about a week ago…

Take a gander at the second and fourth take! They both mention defense. I’ve said it over and over for weeks. I will be using excerpts from this article to make points of the same issues the Lakers have in every loss this season.

For this positionless basketball scheme to work, the Lakers will have to start playing defense. Let’s take Josh Hart and JaVale McGee out of this conversation because these are the only two players that have competed on both ends of the floor every game this season. Everyone else has fallen by the waste side at particular points this season…especially in crunch time.

The Los Angeles Lakers are near the bottom of the league in defense. Everyone is all about Steph Curry scoring 51 points, or Kevin Durant turning Madison Square Garden into Rucker Park with a roof or more recently Klay Thompson dropping a NBA record 14 three point shots a couple of nights ago. Everyone forgets that the Warriors are one of the top defensive teams in the NBA. Don’t believe me? Ask the starting center, JaVale McGee, he hung out with them for a couple of years.

Defense and rebounding is a combination of discipline and sacrifice. Something that the Lakers have not shown up to this point. The NBA game comes down to effort plays in close games. This piece will break down what the Lakers have to do to save their season and make the playoffs, because if they don’t do these things defensively, they are done.

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