Los Angeles Lakers: 3 people that deserve most credit for no. 1 defense

1. Frank Vogel

One of the big factors that led Frank Vogel to land the Lakers coaching job before last season was his ability to craft a top-tier NBA defense. He was the architect of the defense that helped the Pacers take a juggernaut LeBron James led Miami Heat team to seven games in the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals.

Now he gets to create a defense with James, one of the best all-around defenders the game has ever seen on his side and he has done an outstanding job in both seasons doing so. He also has done a great job of utilizing his other superstar AD, having him in consideration for defensive player of the year last season and this year before he went down with an injury.

When the Lakers original starting five of LeBron, AD, Marc Gasol, Schröder, and KCP was healthy they had a defensive rating of 103.5 per 100 possessions. That number is a solid improvement on the 106.8 defensive rating that the Lakers finished the season with.

However, what he should get the most credit for is what he has done without both of those guys in the lineup this season. The Lakers were able to maintain their rank as the number one defense in the league during the stretch of games when they were both injured, and that has to speak to Vogel’s scheme prevailing no matter what pieces he has in the line up.

In the first 8 games after LeBron went down in March, the Lakers also had a defensive rating of 103.5 that was as good as their original starting five and good enough for 2nd in the league during those games.

The Lakers defense had been improving under their previous head coach Luke Walton, but Vogel helped make it the identity for the team. For comparison, the season before Vogel’s arrival the Lakers finished the season with the 13th best defensive rating and routinely gave up leads at the end of games.

Last year the Lakers were able to ride their stout defense in the playoffs when the game slowed down and that could likely occur this season as well. They have also been able to rely on their defense to wins in games where they have not had their normal offensive firepower at their disposal.

Whether Vogel has had his full arsenal to play with or had to create a lineup out of role players he has been consistent in getting those players to play at a high level on the defensive side of the ball.

Considering defense is primarily based on the amount of effort the players put in and how much they buy into the coach’s Xs and Os, Vogel should get the most credit for the Los Angeles Lakers being the number one defense in the league this season.