Shocking stat Lakers must correct if they hope to contend in 2024-25

The Los Angeles Lakers have given fans more to be excited about than disappointed in during the 2024-25 regular season. The starting lineup has played at an elite level, Anthony Davis is an early MVP candidate, and JJ Redick has the team operating with more energy and creativity.

If there's one area in which the Lakers have been exposed as simply dreadful, however, it's the all too familiar flaw of transition defense.

Los Angeles has impressed even its most convinced of critics with its quality of play through seven games. It's not only held its own, but secured victories against postseason-caliber opponents and displayed an entirely new level of intensity and ingenuity under first-year head coach JJ Redick.

Unfortunately, the Lakers continue to allow points at virtual will when teams pick up the pace and get out in transition.

Some might argue that it's an inevitable result with 39-year-old LeBron James in the lineup—no matter how superhuman he may otherwise be. There's a significant difference between lackluster play and setting the standard for poor execution, however, and the Lakers are currently doing the latter.

Through seven games, the Lakers rank dead last in fast break points allowed per game—a devastating fact that has greatly limited its defensive potential.

Lakers boast the worst transition defense in the NBA

Ranking No. 30 in fast break points allowed would be reason enough for the Lakers to begin to panic. The context of their shortcomings is even more crushing, however, as Los Angeles is giving up a startling 20.7 fast break points per game.

For perspective: No other team is averaging more than 18.4, putting the Lakers a full 2.3 points behind the second-worst team in the NBA in that regard.

It's certainly possible that the Lakers will do a complete 180 once Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood return to the lineup. They boast a combined career average of 5.7 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes and could thus force the opposition to be less aggressive in getting out in transition.

Vanderbilt is also the Lakers' best defensive player after Davis, with the length and athleticism to prevent teams from converting easy buckets in the open court.

There's still some degree of mystery surrounding when Vanderbilt and Wood will return, however, and the Lakers can't afford to wait for them to make a fix. This needs to be an all-hands-on-deck type of situation, with both scheme and effort landing under the magnifying lens.

The Lakers' offense, which ranks No. 6 in the NBA in points per 100 possessions, simply can't keep having to bail the team out whenever it gives the opposition easy scoring opportunities.

It's better to have to solve this issue at 4-3 than below .500, of course, but that doesn't make it any less pressing of a need. It's one thing to engage in the occasional shootout and another issue entirely to do so on a nightly basis.

The Lakers may be able to see a light at the end of the tunnel, but if they're going to live up to their potential, they can't wait for Vanderbilt and Wood to get healthy to fix a debilitating flaw.