The Los Angeles Lakers played like a team reborn in the month of March. Their 15-2 record had a lot of contributing factors, but the much-improved defense is right at the forefront of all the excitement. Even with those significant strides taken in the right direction on that end, unease remains.
Good news? The Lakers were a top-10 unit when it came to slowing down opposing teams in March. Their defensive rating of 111.7 tied them with the New York Knicks for the ninth-best figure in that category. Coupling that with Los Angeles' explosive offense has created cautious optimism.
One incredible standout of the Lakers defense was their statistical success at guarding the 3-point shot. Los Angeles led the entire NBA during the month of March. They only allowed opponents to connect on 31.1 percent of their attempts from beyond the arc. That helped elevate the overall unit.
Bad news? There was still one area that noticeably stood out as a clear flaw by contrast. The Lakers continue to get punished inside by their competition. During March, Los Angeles ranked 22nd in the NBA at opponent points in the paint, giving up 53.2 on average. Among playoff teams, only the Denver Nuggets (53.4) were marginally worse during that span, coming in at 24th.
Lakers' interior defense creates major concern ahead of the playoffs
Between Deandre Ayton, and Jaxson Hayes, the Lakers don't really have guys who can serve as clean-up crew for defensive breakdowns. That does not mean they are not impactful in other ways, but it does create some limitations for the upside on the back end.
Ayton (1.0) and Hayes (0.8) are the two leading shot-blockers for the Lakers during this season. Neither of them really thrives in that role. Being a good rim protector and defender down low does not always necessitate being an elite block artist, but it certainly does not hurt in deterring opposing offenses.
Why does this matter for the Lakers? That is easy to answer, and it is all about the playoff matchups they will face.
Take the Houston Rockets for example. While Kevin Durant's team does stick out as the preferrable first-round matchup for the Lakers, this would be one area that creates discomfort. The Rockets are sixth in the NBA when it comes to points in the paint (52.4) on average.
The San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets both have MVP candidates at center who could punish the weakness, given the opportunity. The Oklahoma City Thunder have a pair of bigs who could hurt them down low. Matchup-wise, it is a tough flaw to have given the competition.
Between Ayton, Hayes, and whatever small-ball center the Lakers want to deploy, their interior situation has been manageable yet unspectacular. With only a handful of games left until the NBA Playoffs, above average would be the desired improvement at bare minimum to calm the concerns.