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3 reasons why the Los Angeles Lakers will easily get past the Clippers

By Jason Reed

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 12: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Five of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 12, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. 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 Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 12: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Five of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 12, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. 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 Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

2. The Los Angeles Lakers are far better coached

Doc Rivers is a legend of the game and is probably going to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame when it is all said and done. However, he has been woefully bad in the playoffs thus far while his LA counterpart, Frank Vogel, has been fantastic.

Rivers has made questionable decisions with his rotations, how much playing time he is giving his guys and who he is leaving in the game during pivotal stretches. Remember when Luka Doncic hit that game-winning three? That was over Reggie Jackson of all people.

Vogel, meanwhile, has been the master of adjustments. He schemed up more playing time for Alex Caruso in the first round and implemented a fantastic defensive strategy that led the Lakers to be the first team in the Orlando bubble to actually maintain the Blazers — Clippers included.

Then, against Houston, he developed a smaller lineup, starting playing Markieff Morris more and figured out how to balance Rajon Rondo and Caruso’s minutes without stepping on each other. Defensively, the Lakers were fantastic in the second round.

Houston averaged 116.6 points per game in the regular season. The highest they scored in the series was 112 and they averaged 103.8 points per game — which would have been second to last.

This coaching advantage is leading the Lakers to have a much better overall defensive team. Sure, the Clippers have the edge in terms of a isolation defensive talent with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Patrick Beverley, but as a unit, the Lakers are far superior.

The Lakers have a 108 defensive rating in the playoffs, which is better than the Clippers’ 110.9, and their opponents have the fourth-lowest effective field goal percentage among playoff teams. Only the Heat, Celtics and Raptors have been better.

Why? Well, outside of coaching, it also ties into the third reason.

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