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Five things on the Los Angeles Lakers’ Christmas wish list

By Zane Harris

Dec 22, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers players Anthony Davis and LeBron James and Quinn Cook and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope pose with their 2020 NBA Championship rings before a game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 22, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers players Anthony Davis and LeBron James and Quinn Cook and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope pose with their 2020 NBA Championship rings before a game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 22, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; LA Clippers guard Paul George (13) drives against Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) and center Marc Gasol (14) in the second quarter at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 22, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; LA Clippers guard Paul George (13) drives against Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) and center Marc Gasol (14) in the second quarter at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

#4: Interior defense from the center position

The next thing that the Lakers wrote on their Christmas list this year is for interior defense from the center position. This is assuming that Marc Gasol and Montrezl Harrell will be the teams’ centers and Anthony Davis will be spending his time at the power forward spot.

Last season, the Lakers had a rotation of JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard at the center position. They both played their roles on the team perfectly and the Lakers could not have realistically asked much more out of either of them. With that being said, one of those roles that they filled so well was interior defense and more specifically protecting the rim.

When looking at the per 36-minute stats of McGee, Howard, Harrell, and Gasol, it highlights the Lakers are taking a step back in terms of rim protection.

Last season in the per 36-minute blocks McGee averaged 3.0 blocks per game. Howard averaged 2.2 blocks. Harrell averaged 1.5 blocks per game. Finally, Gasol averaged 1.2 blocks per game. When looking at these stats, it shows that the Lakers are losing 2.5 blocks per game per 36 minutes from their center position.

There should still be full confidence that Gasol and Harrell will be able to do more than enough to make up for the losses of McGee and Howard. However, the Lakers will be wishing that either of them will be able to take a big step up and see their blocks per game take a drastic spike this season.

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