The Los Angeles Lakers had a tremendous change of fate when they acquired Luka Doncic in the first week of February. A franchise that was stumbling toward a presumed long period of mediocrity was suddenly awakened by a still-unexplainable trade that gifted them one of the best players in the association, and instantly made them one of the most dangerous teams in this year's playoff race.
In one moment, everything changed for the Lakers' expectations this season. Doncic, who was the biggest reason the Dallas Mavericks went to the NBA Finals last season, now wears the purple and gold, and he will have the ability to replicate that achievement in Los Angeles in a few short months. However, some legitimate concerns with this team still remain. The biggest of which? The Lakers' defense.
This is the topic that should be stirring in the mind of every Lakers fan that envisions their team winning a championship this season. Ultimately, how this team performs on defense in the playoffs will be their make-or-break. The offense is not a topic of concern. With Doncic doing what he does and several capable ancillary scorers, LA's scoring punch need not be worried about.
The Lakers' defense - is it legit, or not?
But on the defensive side of things, there are some red flags that could become problems later. Let's just take Saturday night's game against the Chicago Bulls for example. LeBron James was back in the lineup, who has actually been a significant contributor on defense for this team as of late. But the Lakers still gave up 30 points in every quarter including 42 in the final frame on the way to getting blown out by the 31-40 Bulls.
It was the latest of several instances where LA has allowed a lesser-talented team to take advantage of them in this way. They have had their successes - like holding Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets to just 108 points in their March 19 win in the Mile High City. But the inconsistency on defense remains concerning if this team wants to be a legitimate contender for the Larry O'Brien.
We know that the importance of being a good defensive team is something that gets magnified in the playoffs. The phrase "defense wins championships" wasn't invented for nothing. The fact that the Lakers have two subpar defenders in their starting backcourt in Doncic and Austin Reaves is certainly less than ideal.
And yet, LA has still had its moments of looking like a staunch defensive team before and since Luka arrived in town. The playoffs expose all of every team's biggest weaknesses, and the Lakers must hope they can put all the pieces together in this department before it is too late.