Los Angeles Lakers: 3 things needed to catch Milwaukee Bucks in standings

3. Continue To Dominate on Defense

Under the guidance of Frank Vogel, The Lakers have understood all season long that elite defense is crucial to any chance at a title run. As a result, the Lakers currently sit in third place behind the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors with a defensive rating of 105.5 per NBA.com. 

Additionally, the Lakers are fourth in steals, 10th in rebounding and lead the league in blocked shots. With LeBron James starting at point guard alongside active wings Danny Green and Avery Bradley, it’s no secret that length both inside and out have been the Lakers’ greatest weapon all season long.

While the Lakers had a terrific weekend, the non-superstars continue to struggle on offense at times. Aside from Bradley’s 24 point explosion on Sunday, the only other double-digit scorer of the entire weekend was Kuzma with an 11 point outing on Friday. The great defense can cover over a multitude of sins, but it may not be enough to keep the Lakers in games.

This leads us to the next Laker goal.