-Elite on defense
Compared to last season, the defensive end of the court has been night and day for the Lakers. As mentioned earlier, the Lakers prioritized adding shooters in the offseason. However, they also wanted to make sure those players could play on the defensive end of the court.
The addition of Frank Vogel as the head coach has resulted in the team becoming one of the best in the league on the defensive end of the court. Vogel has been one of the best defensive coaches in the NBA, and he has brought that mindset for the Lakers.
With Vogel implementing his system, the Lakers have improved a ton compared to last season on the defensive end. While having a good defensive system is important, you also need the players to make it work.
In the frontcourt, Anthony Davis is one of the best defensive players in the league. Davis could become the Defensive Player of the Year, as he is the anchor of the defense for the Lakers. However, in the backcourt, it is Green who has been tasked often to guard the opposing team’s best guard.
Green has been one of the best defensive perimeter players in the league, and when defense becomes important in the playoffs, Green will be key for the Lakers.