The Los Angeles Lakers know their defense must improve to be a serious title contender, and Luka Doncic is committed to being better on that end of the floor. Dwyane Wade has taken notice and praised the superstar’s improvements during Thursday’s national TV broadcast on Amazon Prime. Doncic will never get the credit, but he is far from the problem when he locks in.
Doncic is leading the NBA in scoring and nets the most first-half points every game since 1997. Fans know he is a walking bucket that can control the game. With his incredible offense, the Lakers can’t expect him to be a lockdown defender. They must put the right team around him to win it all. Fans know Luka plays his best when the games matter most, but he can't do it alone.
The Clippers got 64 points in the first half, but Doncic wasn’t the problem. The Lakers had several defensive breakdowns and gave up way too many easy looks. Still, Luka was locked in and got the Hall of Famer hyped about his defense.
Dwyane Wade says the narrative is dead wrong about Luka Doncic
Luka played strong defense on James Harden and forced a shot clock violation in the second quarter. It prompted Dwyane Wade to give the Lakers superstar his flowers for his massive improvement.
“I love that right there. Luka Doncic gets a lot of flak about what he doesn’t do. We know what he does very well. Passing, scoring, all the things, but defense is where his flak comes from. Luka’s defensive effort this year has had a big improvement.”
Fans can see the play for themselves here.
Lakers fans know that Doncic can get stops when he needs to. His size, quick hands, and basketball IQ allow the superstar to make defensive plays. He will never be a lockdown option, but haters saying a franchise can’t win with Luka are dead wrong. Doncic led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2024, and his defense has only improved.
The Lakers must put a better roster around their superstar. Doncic needs a rim protector and lob threat at the five. They should also put athletic 3-and-D wings and another star around number 77. Dallas showed Los Angeles the blueprint during their finals run. The Lakers have the second star in Austin Reaves, but the other pieces are missing.
Luka can’t expend max energy on defense every possession and be an elite offensive creator. He will pick his spots on defense, but his body transformation has helped. The Lakers' abysmal defensive rating doesn’t tell the tale. Doncic is more active and playing better defense this season. Fans can see it, even if the numbers do not jump off the screen.
Dwyane Wade is taking note. Detractors will say the Hall of Famer isn’t watching games or doesn’t know, but that is just foolish. Wade won three championships and made three All-Defensive teams in his legendary career. He knows exactly what Doncic must do to win his team a championship. Wade was impressed by Luka’s improvement, and Lakers fans should be too.
Luka Doncic gives the Los Angeles Lakers a chance to win every night. He is a top-three player in the world and arguably the best offensive engine. The defensive improvements are a must, and should have fans excited about the future. The Lakers will be in contention for years to come with Doncic leading the charge. The best is yet to come, so stay tuned.