The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Portland Trail Blazers 136-129 on Tuesday night, despite Luka Doncic going off for 41 points, nine assists, five rebounds, and one block. LA won the superstar’s minutes by seven points and wasted a magnificent performance from Luka. They simply couldn’t get a stop. The Blazers shot 59 percent from the field and made 18 3-pointers. Los Angeles has given up 376 points over the last three games. They simply can’t slow down anyone.
The Lakers added Walker Kessler to revamp their defense. The big man had 13 points, nine rebounds, one steal, and two blocks against the Blazers. He has done well protecting the rim, but one man can’t make a defense. Los Angeles struggled guarding Damian Lillard, Ja Morant, and Deni Avdija in the loss. All three had 21 or more points and shot a combined 22 of 40 from the field.
The Lakers cannot be a serious title contender unless the defense improves. They have scored 125 or more in all four games and lead the NBA in offensive rating. Luka looks unstoppable, and the roster around him guarantees LA has an elite offense. The Lakers need to find some D.
Lakers' defense is a problem
LA was 19th in defensive rating coming into this game and gave up 136 points to the Blazers. The purple and gold were on their home floor. It is tough to lose a game where you shot 56 percent from the field and 40 percent on threes, but the Lakers did it.
Head coach JJ Redick is starting Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams for defense, but neither was good enough against Portland. The Lakers lost Thybulle’s 22 minutes by 12 points on Tuesday. They couldn’t contain the Blazers' big three scorers, and that was the difference. Slowing down Avdija, Morant, and Dame had to be at the top of the scouting report.
This was a messy game with tons of fouls. The Lakers just need a couple stops to turn the tide. Sadly, they couldn’t get them, and it wasn’t just the starting group.
Lakers need to stop the Kevon Looney experiment
LA lost Looney’s five minutes on the floor by eight points. It was the difference in the game. The reserve big man is no longer an NBA rotation player. The Lakers have lost his minutes in each of the first four games and are minus-29 in his 30 minutes on the floor.
Coach Redick is already using Sandro Mamukelashvili in the second half instead of Loon as the backup five. It is time to go to that look from the jump. Mamu had 17 points, and the Lakers won his minutes by six. He is not the ideal defensive center, but the 6’9 big man is a better option than Looney.
The Lakers want to play a ten-man rotation and avoid wearing down their top-end talent. That is understandable, but every game matters. Looney isn’t a rotation player anymore. The Lakers need to stop playing him.
JJ Redick must make adjustments for the Lakers to reach their goals
Coach Redick knows the defense is a problem. They are giving up over 120 points per game after four contests. Their elite offense has LA sitting at 3-1, but the competition has not been elite. The Lakers need to be better on defense.
Fans knew the defense would be a problem after the offseason moves. Quentin Grimes has been an inconsistent defender for years. Ziaire Williams has shown flashes, but is far from a lockdown option. The Lakers felt like they were putting it all on Kessler. Even he has been up-and-down to start his tenure in Los Angeles.
The roster deserves grace. They have nine new players and are trying to make the pieces fit. Their elite offense is a positive sign, but the Lakers need time to gel. The defense should improve. It is a problem right now and needs to get better.
Expect coach Redick to change up the scheme and try to figure out how to make it work. He has done a fantastic job of problem-solving in his two years as head coach. Have faith he will figure this out. It will just take some time.
It was disappointing to see the Los Angeles Lakers lose when Luka Doncic was so good. The defense needs to be better. If not, the Lakers can’t seriously contend. Hopefully, these are just growing pains. On the bright side, the offense is elite. That gives LA a shot to win every night, even if it won’t in the playoffs. All they need is the D.
Add us as a preferred source on Google