Los Angeles Lakers: 7 important statistics through 7 games
By Jason Reed
Los Angeles Lakers defensive statistics:
1. The Los Angeles Lakers allow the fourth-most three-point attempts but the sixth-lowest three-point percentage
Those that are worrying about the Los Angeles Lakers’ perimeter defense: don’t. Not only has the team been trying to integrate new rotations, but they have been trying to do so without Alex Caruso, who is their best perimeter defender.
Even then, though, the Lakers are not that bad on the perimeter. The Lakers do allow a lot of three-point attempts (the fourth-most in the league) but they are not allowing teams to shoot at a good clip, as other teams are shooting just 32.7% from beyond the arc.
Allowing a lot of threes at a really low percent equals really good results. Teams know that the way to beat the Lakers is the three-point shot and the numbers indicate that and the fact that the Lakers are allowing such a low percentage is key.
2. The Los Angeles Lakers rank fourth in opponent rebound percentage
The Los Angeles Lakers did lose some of their rebounding muscle upfront in JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard but are still rebounding the ball fairly well. More importantly, the Lakers are not allowing their opponents to rebound the basketball as well as they should be.
Opponents rebound the ball just 46.4% of the time against the Lakers, which is the fourth-lowest in the league. Better yet, the Lakers have allowed the second-fewest rebounds per game this season at 42.3 per game.
Rebounding is important and can quite literally save a team’s NBA Finals chances in the NBA Playoffs. The Lakers are elite at it.
3. The Los Angeles Lakers have the fourth-lowest opponent free-throw rate
Another important aspect of winning basketball games is not fouling too much and giving away free points at the free-throw line. Luckily enough, the Lakers have been really good this season at not fouling and allowing their opponents to get to the free-throw line.
Opponents free-throw rate (which is how many free throws they attempt per field goal) is just 20.5%. That gives the Lakers the fourth-lowest in the league. They are marginally behind the New Orleans Pelicans as well as the Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Next. Lessons from the Lakers' win over the Grizzlies. dark
As you can see, this stat alone does not necessarily indicate success but having that in the Lakers’ back of tricks is certainly a good thing.