The Los Angeles Lakers went from practicing that matador defense to suddenly putting all the clamps down on their matchups. In particular, JJ Redick's team has been making the lives of other stars miserable during their recent outings. It is a massively underrated part of their turnaround.
Over the last 10 games, of which the Lakers have won nine, they have been a top-five offensive unit. With all their star power, that comes as no surprise. However, Los Angeles is also boasting a top-10 defensive unit over that stretch. Their defensive rating of 109.3 easily qualifies them in that group.
They have faced some pretty impressive stars during their surge up the Western Conference standings. Nikola Jokic, Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, and Jamal Murray are just some of those names. They did not have a fun time against the Lakers defense in the slightest.
NBA stars are being locked down by the Lakers defense
Iztok Franko was the one who originally pointed out the growing trend of stars struggling against the Lakers on Twitter/X. There was a lot of proof in the pudding.
Durant was the most recent victim of the entrapment of the Lakers. In the Houston Rockets' tight 100-92 loss to Los Angeles, the future Hall of Famer could not move the needle just enough for the result to tip in the other direction. KD finished with only 18 points, two assists, and seven turnovers.
"Maybe I gotta just get out the way, get in the corner, space the floor out for other guys," Durant said after the loss. "I think just that when I get the ball against certain teams, they just gonna sell out and say f— it, we're just going double and play a little zone behind it and see what happens."
If it makes Durant feel any better, a pair of Nuggets can share in his frustrations. Murray only mustered six points, shooting 1-of-14, against the Lakers on Saturday. A welcomed sight of someone who is typically a Laker killer. Even in the close 120-113 win for Denver on March 5, Jokic was forced into nine turnovers against Los Angeles.
Edwards only managed 14 points, shooting 2-of-15, four assists, and two turnovers in the 120-106 loss to the Lakers on March 10. Jalen Brunson had seven turnovers against Los Angeles in the New York Knicks' 110-97 loss on March 8. You get the idea.
This growing trend bodes well for the Lakers. The playoffs are naturally a setting where stars are expected to win you ball games. If this is what they look like against Los Angeles, an extended run in the postseason would not be out of the question.