Los Angeles Lakers: 3 disappointing signs following All-Star break

2. Lack of Defense

The defense was a huge problem for the Lakers early in the season. In the first three games, they surrendered a whopping 132 points per game.

Fortunately, the team started to play much better. In the 14 games in November, they held opponents to just 106.5 PPG. But as the season wore on, injuries mounted and the defense suffered. This has been especially apparent when two of their best perimeter defenders, Ball and Josh Hart, have been sidelined or limited due to injury.

In the last 10 games, the Lakers allowed at least 115 points a game all but twice, when they held Houston to just 106 and offensively-challenged Memphis to 110. Opponents scored 120 points or more six times. Lowlights included 143 points scored by Philadelphia, 138 by Indiana, and 128 by both Boston and, somehow, New Orleans.

In the NBA, team defense is often more important than one-on-one stoppers. But good team defense takes time to develop. Without being able to lean on the experience of playing together prior to this season, injuries have taken their largest toll on the defensive end.

While injuries tell part of the story, there are other factors at work. LeBron James remains one of the NBA’s top offensive forces. But at age 34 he has become a below-average defender who is consistently beaten off the dribble by his opponent and seldom challenges the other team at the rim.

Rajon Rondo, who just turned 33, is also a shadow of his former defensive self. JaVale McGee uses his length and jumping ability to block shots but frequently gets pushed around by other bigs.

The Lakers currently rank 23rd in points allowed per game, 113.8. Teams that rank below them include bottom feeders such as Atlanta, Phoenix and New York. James’ former Cavaliers rank right above them.

That doesn’t inspire confidence for the stretch run, with seven games still to come against many of the league’s best teams: one each against Golden State, Denver, OKC, Toronto and Boston and two against Milwaukee.

It should be noted, however, that the Lakers fare much better in a couple of other defensive statistics. They are 10th in opponent field goal percentage (48.7%) and 12th in defensive efficiency. So there is some hope that they can tighten things up on that end of the floor, particularly when Ball and Hart return to full action.