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Los Angeles Lakers: 3 overlooked advantages that will lead to a title

Jason Reed|
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 01: Dwight Howard #39 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers high-five during the first half against the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center on December 01, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 01: Dwight Howard #39 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers high-five during the first half against the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center on December 01, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
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(Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers

2. The Los Angeles Lakers have size

The Los Angeles Lakers don’t just have size to their advantage heading into the playoffs, but they have talented size that is going to make a massive difference in a playoff series.

In a regular-season game, you could absolutely make a gameplan that neutralizes the Lakers’ size and catches them off guard. However, this is not the middle of February, this is the playoffs, where things tend to slow down and size becomes so much more important.

It is especially important when considering the two other true title-contending teams, the Clippers and the Bucks. The Clippers do not really have the size to match up with the Lakers and this could create a huge mismatch down low where the Lakers dominate in the paint, clean up offensive rebounds, score more second-chance points and have an overall better field-goal percentage.

Montrezl Harrell is a skilled big man but there is no way that Ivica Zubac is going to slow the Lakers’ bigs down. Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee often get overlooked for how talented they are as rim protectors and rebounder in Frank Vogel’s scheme.

As for the matchup against the Bucks, the Lakers’ size allows them to adopt the gameplan that other teams have used in the playoffs to stop Giannis Antetokounmpo: essentially create a wall around the basket and keep him from driving.

He is still going to put up big numbers but you really can limit him by putting a good on-ball defender on him, such as Anthony Davis, and then utilizing the size to clog the lane and prevent him from getting clean looks at the basket.

It also helps to have LeBron James as well. While James is no longer the on-ball defender that he once was, he is one of the few players in the league that is not completely outmatched physically against Giannis and is an important part in slowing the Bucks down in transition by getting to Giannis before he can get a chance to drive to the hoop.

YouTube user TooMuchHoops did a great job breaking down how and why the Lakers were successful on defense against the Bucks when they squared off in early March, showcasing that they have the personnel that it takes to match up with Milwaukee.

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