The Lakers still have a strong 19-9 record after Tuesday’s 132-108 loss in Phoenix, but their 117.6 defensive rating places them 24th in the NBA, and none of the six clubs below them in that category have more than 10 wins so far this season.
Recognizing that his team is trending in the wrong direction defensively, head coach JJ Redick highlighted the issue after Tuesday’s loss, admitting that the Lakers don’t have enough players who play maximum-effort, physical basketball on a consistent basis, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
“We practice this stuff enough,” Redick said of the club’s defensive principles. “We review this stuff enough. We show film on this stuff enough that to me, it like comes down to … just making the choice. It’s making the choice.
“There are shortcuts you can take or you can do the hard thing and you can make the second effort or you can sprint back or you can’t. It’s just a choice. And there’s a million choices in a game, and you’re very likely not going to make every choice correctly. But can you make the vast majority of them correctly? It gives you a chance to win.”
According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, the Lakers believe this year’s team has a higher ceiling than last season’s, with Luka Doncic more comfortable in Los Angeles and plenty of offensive talent surrounding him. However, as Woike points out, the roster is missing last season’s highest-energy players like Dorian Finney-Smith and Jordan Goodwin.
The Lakers added former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart in free agency over the summer and he has lived up to expectations when he’s been healthy. In Smart’s 523 minutes on the court, L.A. has a defensive rating of 111.9, which would be tied for fifth in the league. That figure balloons to 119.1 with Smart on the bench.
Smart agreed with Redick that there’s plenty of work to do on that end of the floor.
“We doing s–t. We’re being real s—ty right now, and it’s showing,” Smart said, per McMenamin. “… Every team goes through it trying to figure it out. You just pray that it happens early and we can fix it before it’s too late.
“But yeah, there’s really no defense, no scheme we can do when we’re giving up offensive rebounds in crucial moments like we are, or guys are getting wherever they want on the court. And there’s no help, there’s no resistance, there’s no urgency. So, it’s tough. And JJ is right. There’s really nothing he can do. It’s on us.”
There’s some internal skepticism that the answer to the Lakers’ defensive woes is in-house, according to Woike, who points out that Finney-Smith and Goodwin were in-season additions in 2024/25. With the February 5 trade deadline just over six weeks away, the front office figures to be on the lookout for defensive-minded players who could meaningfully upgrade the current roster.
Your team starts Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and a 40 year old, obviously your defense will suck
Luka’s defensive stats are much better than the team’s:
1. His defensive rating is 112, much better than the team’s 117.
2. He is averaging 1.6 steals per game and 3.6 deflections. Best on team in steaks, second best in deflections.
3. He is averaging 8 defensive (9 total) rebounds a game which is top 15 in the league.
4. Opponents shoot 6% worse from 3 a game than their normal.
5. He is second in charges taken on the team after Austin on the team, and I believe they are both top ten in that category.
Luka, not Austin are the problems on defense. Neither is Ayton, who has been great at center, Smart or LaRavia.
The Lakers sometimes just don’t seem to have their head in the game and sleepwalking out there. Not sure if it’s the coaches not getting their heads into the game each time or what it is.
The Lakers have had lots of injuries so far. They have had 16 different starting lineups so far this year, second only to the Pacers. The inconsistency of the starters and the role players coming off the bench could have a lot to do with it.
And everyone use to call Sillivan A.I.
I am not intelligent enough to be called AI. It’s too much honor to me.
112 DR might be good for him. Unfortunately the NBA stats has him at 117. Go look it up. These are more current. link to nba.com
Top defenders are under 105 today. DR is based on the other 4 players playing with you too. In his case that number reflects the other 4 players playing D.
Towns has a DR of 111. Yet he isn’t good.
OG an elite defender has a DR of 111
Tyson Daniels an elite defender. Has a DR 115
Amen Thompson an elite defender has a DR of 111
KP has a DR of 117 .. and he sucks
This is a flawed rating. That doesn’t tell the real story of a players defensive abilities. It gives a rating of 5 players. His and The other 4.
Still a OneWay Wonder ———- Try again
“He is second in charges taken on the team after Austin on the team, and I believe they are both top ten in that category.
Luka, not Austin are the problems on defense. Neither is Ayton, who has been great at center, Smart or LaRavia.”
About all that can be extracted from this gibberish is that Ayton’s play has been laudable. Occasionally Ayton shows stellar. Most of the time he is, Smart or LaRavia. <— it's hard to write this kind of noncommunicative thickness, ask Austin who are the problem.
The funny thing is that I went to an elite university and consistently got high marks and praise from my profs for my writing, even though my major was in the sciences. I am also a published author, who has gotten lots of praise for my writing ability.
However, you are right in that what I wrote was lot of gobbledygook. That happens when you write a long message on your iPhone, and don’t edit it before submitting .
We are entering the part of the season when the paper tiger teams start to slip away into irrelevancy. In the West, that means the Lakers, Rockets, Blazers, Jazz and even the Thunder are going to start losing more – in the Thunders case they are definitely not going to challenge the Warriors season, they are only 2 games ahead of the Pistons right now, but they are still going to be a top 4 team, just not one who is THAT good, they are slipping from “greatest team ever” to “easy top 4 team”. Not a huge slide in the grand scheme of things but still one to expect. Blazers and Jazz made some early season noise but expect them to make up the bottom 4. The Lakers roster construction has me clocking them as barely a play-in team without Luka, and I guess 8-10 spot with him. This Lakers roster does nothing for me, its very unbalanced. The Rockets are going to lose KD for injuries more and more as the season goes on, and they are too thin at the guard spot. I have them top 8 due to Sengun and Amen, but they aren’t making noise.
Western teams who are starting to rise: Warriors, Grizzlies and Mavs. Which makes sense as Dubs are win-now but have a coach who is currently obsessed with losing-now, but he seems to be finally understanding small ball is bad and playing bigs is good. Steph and Jimmy are starting to really gel together too, and Jimmy is helping the rookies more than Draymond ever has. Post’s defense over the last month took a significant leap, he now DOES look like that big they are looking for on the trade/buyout market, like Vuc. Post > Vuc, yeah I said it. They do still need one more big though, as having 9 guards is not ideal roster construction, but Post might be breaking out in front of us, all thanks to Jimmy (having done the same with Bam, who broke out defensively as a big as soon as Jimmy showed up). The Grizzlies had no bigs for the first month and are now finding their level too. The Mavs were always a big question mark, but Flagg is already flashing a mega-superelite ceiling, like a Lebron-level one. Has no real weaknesses, is elite at everything except shooting the 3, and he’s got it up to 30% over his December, also leadership and knowing how to find AD. Flagg is going to ensure the Mavs likely end up at .500 minimum this year.
You’re such a homer. Yea rockets and Lakers are going to fail but a worse team in the Warriors is going to rise. Come back to reality anytime now, the warriors dynasty is OVER, Curry is an old man in basketball terms. The warriors will not win another championship with the Curry core.
^ comments that will age like milk
YDKB, skill issue on your end, buddy. Cry more. Lakers stink.
These comments by 2.0 are among the most delusional I can recall ever having seen here. Wait until 3.0., huh?
I’m sorry you don’t know ball lil bro, maybe mute me? /shrug
I cannot wait for the Lakers to crash out and the Dubs to surge back into the top 4. All you losers are going to have to eat so much crow. Like, you can make all these claims if GSW is fully healthy and is playing bad and it’s March…but you are doing it in November. No one cares about games before January. All you clowns are doing is prove to everyone you don’t know ball.
Davey J: No one cares about games before January
Also Davey J: Dubs beat Spurs with Wemby in b2b games. Dubs the greatest (insert ringless 73-9 season btw), Dubs winning the chip, Kerr sucks and because he is part of the mafia, he keeeps throwing games.
Oh the irony. Keep goal post moving.
Glazing the Warriors after all that is nasty work. 15-15 team you are still acting like is in their dynasty days. They are mediocre and will be in the play in again
@amk1920 caring this much about Nov+Dec wins is even nastier work. No one takes this part of the season seriously, only casuals like you do. If you watched these games you would see how unserious Kerr and the refs have been.
They’ve done nothing in the past 3 years. Their ceiling is eeking out a 7 game series win vs young teams with no playoff experience. Warriors window is over and it’s hilarious how their fanboys pretend Steph can carry them through a playoff run. Yeah I’m sure the 28-4 Thunder are worried about a .500 team
Did you not watch how well GSW played last year after they got Jimmy? They were rolling to the Finals til Curry tore his hamstring. This is just facts, its a shame you are so salivating, drooling over the delusion you have that the window is closed, when it isn’t at all. Curry is literally putting up 40+ on the regular and you are saying he is washed with your chest out. Like, lol. Your arrogance does not match reality. Lmao just say you don’t actually watch the games why dont you? GSW is up by double figures in all these early season losses, which literally come down to Kerr’s horrible rotation switches, that are unnecessary.
Thunder are unwatchable, they are not an all-time great team, merely a good one, they are going to lose a lot more than 4 games this season. No one is ever touching 73-9. Can’t wait for Curry to win another ring so you nerds will finally shut up lol
You can keep waiting for nothing as the Dubs are not sniffing a playoff birth this season, maybe a play in spot but definitely not getting out of it. Curry aint winning another ring, her daugther gets a ring on her finger before the Warriors win another one.
“But wait until Jimmy gets fully acclimated” is legendary cope by Warrior fans. He’s played 26 games and they are .500. Jimmy made them better but not by much. I don’t think the Thunder are some historically great team but their ring and video game record this season is more real than you swearing a healthy Warriors beat them last year and they are so good despite a mediocre record this year
/literally finishes 24-8
“Jimmy made them better but not by much.”
Legendary cope by a pure hater, just a worthless person to have tap in on any conversation, lmao sit down lil bro
And they lost. Injuries or not they would want to get off to a better start the next season and not have to fight for a play-in spot. But guess what 15-15. The burden of proof is on the person claiming the .500 8 seed is better than the defending champions who are 24-6. You have nothing to back up your claim except “they aren’t trying because its too early in the season” which is the textbook definition of cope. The Nuggets would smoke Golden State. Spurs and Thunder would beat them in 4 games without breaking a sweat.
“burden of proof” brother this is an anonymous comments section, you are taking this WAY too seriously lmao they lost because of Curry injury, if no Curry injury, we get the showdown we deserved, where Dray would bully Chet into tears and the Dubs veterans and Jimmy would have the Thunder on their knees. Despite winning all these games, the Thunder still feel like a really soft team to me.
Do you honestly think Kerr playing 4 guards at once over and over is the only move he can make? You are saying this when you imply that the Warriors are playing at full speed right now.
Warriors already beat the Spurs twice at home, stop lying lil bro. And you wanna talk about “coping” lol, you still shook from Curry and Dray all these years later. Pretty pathetic if you ask me.
Nobody cares about games before January but the Dubs winning over the Spurs are important? Nice goal post moving you did there
I love how my dedicated gang of haters upvote literally anyone arguing against me, as if we cant all see that they are ganging up and doing this on purpose, no matter who says it, even if its 100% wrong?
@SteveAdams can you remove the upvoting? It adds nothing when its used in bad faith by people with a personal vendetta against me. They all know who they are and they know that I can see it. Its abusing the system.
Nobody will ever match the ringless 73-9 Warriors? Every team bar one can match that and not win the title every season clown. How convenient losses now for Golden State are irrelevant seeing how the Warriors suck and the end is near. And awful take for attention per usual. Not a Warriors thread per usual, you should be banned from turning every thread into a Warriors or Steph Curry ode to love.
Rage bait much?
“post > vu”
If you truly think Post is better in Year 2 than Vu was or even is in 2025-26, I got a house to sell you in a few years.
Surprised nobody caught this today, but then again it’s Christmas Eve.
Take all their stats from today-forward, I will be proven right.
I know you are a huge Bulls homer who thinks Vuc is worth a 1st round pick, but Post’s improvement over the last month should be making a lot more believers in him than you are.
For actual guys yes Vu is worth a 1st. I said this last year. And I’m not a bulls Homer, if I was I’d say Patrick Williams is the next Kawhi. I’m not you saying moody is a future all star and mute everyone who disagrees with the statement lol. Merry Christmas dude enjoy life outside this sport and app.
And what is the best part of Christmas? All day long of NBA games.
If anything today means I gots the time today to go off in here lol
Vu is worth one 2RP. Only a homer would think a 35 year old is getting a first, lmao
You ARE a Bulls homer, lol, look at your pfp ffs lmao
I’m not even a Dubs homer, half the Dubs fans on here hate me for being critical of Kerr and the team! So what is it? It can’t be both.
“I’m not even a Dubs homer”
Denial is the first step to seeking your basketball soul back lmao.
And yes my pfp is Bulls. That don’t mean I expect a first for Vu in EVERY deal lmao. You kept talking about KD last year like you were an inside source and have been quiet all year now.
The Warriors literally admitted KD was their first choice, not Jimmy. I don’t know where you get that from that.
Lakers are currently 5th seed in West (tie Wolves at 4/5th)
Rockets are currently 6th seed in West
Prediction
Lakers and Rockets won’t pass the first round of playoffs if they are 5-8 seed.
For Rockets starters
shooting guard can’t shoot
point guard can’t point
power forward has no power
According to Rockets fans, this Rockets team are not better than last year (2nd seed)
Lakers would take down by Wolves again this playoffs if they don’t make a good trade
Exactly, this Rockets team is a bunch of nothing. If they had a real PG they would be top 6, but without FVV, they really aren’t one. Lakers have an even worse roster.
Lakers are stuck on name players and stats. Form a ‘team’ and the defense will be there.
LeBron is horrible at defense now in his career. That is why once he came back they started losing. Reeves and Luka are not great but you put a real bad defensive player in there too its like no defense. LeBron needs to be second team leader that would improve the defense.
You’re gonna come with something better that that. The Lakers are 8-4 with LeBron and 11-5 without. They’ve lost the last two but that probably has more to with Reeve’s calf injury.
Lakers will be a play in team.
He never searches first. Just blurts out criticism. Cause he doesn’t like a player or someone.
Ok bandwagon Al
JJ himself was terrible at D
Charley Lau (.255) was George Brett’s hitting coach.
Almost all MLB hitting coaches were terrible MLB players.
There’s no cure for this tbh (this year)
They have been punching above weight all year which just makes this look worse today
Phx is a bad matchup for them as they are actually like a fun size version of Okc which is even scarier. A gentlemen’s sweep vs OKC is probably all you could ask for today as a Laker fan
Future looks really good they just need to stay patient and realize its not happening this year . If I had 1 guess Id say they agree totally behind closed doors with all I just said and their actions (nothing in this case this deadline ) will follow suit
*Dump Knecht for any expiring contract to free up a little more cap next summer is all that really has to be done this year Imo
So we made the exact same point here, but I get “youre a homer” from the know-nothings, and you get no pushback. Interesting dichotomy.
No pushback….. My post is 3 mins old!
Trust me lol
Who cares about pushback, in fact message boards like these are a great place to learn new information and thus make changes to your own views accordingly
If you believe in your posts stand on 10 toes
If you don’t, don’t post it
I agree with all of that. Just hate seeing the stupid thumbs up because its people who dont know ball doing the thumbs up, it creates an echo chamber and dumb people think popularity = facts.
You are a homer it’s been proven many times. When the Warriors fail to win a title this year you’ll come up with yet more excuses and talk trash about Kerr and how the NBA is rigged.
Funny you complain about upvotes but then you like all your own posts. If you didn’t come off like a Warriors fanboy who has no clue about basketball in 2025, everyone here wouldn’t call you out.
I 100% definitely do not like all my own posts, that’s a lie.
I am more mad at the same 5 haters liking lies because thats the only way to argue against me. Once again, my takes are normal, most fans agree with me, and disagree with you weirdo haters. The Warriors window is still wide open. The finished the prior season 24-8, they will likely do better this year once Kerr stops going small. I don’t make excuses, I provide factual evidence. You haters are just worthless around here, if you dont like my takes then mute me and you wont see them, you 2-bit hater. Shut ybau
Maybe if you didn’t spit the same take over and over people wouldn’t go against you. “Kerr sucks he’s the worst coach ever” “Curry is god he’ll lead the Warriors to every championship every year if only this and that didn’t happen.” Then anyone would disagrees “you don’t know basketball blah blah blah”. If you were chill people would be chill with you. The Warriors look like a middle of the pack team, not on the Thunder/Nuggets/Spurs tier. That’s not just my take but 90% of sports people who get paid for their opinion. If the Warriors win, congrats that your team won, they just haven’t been the favorites for a couple years
End of rant
“The Warriors look like a middle of the pack team, not on the Thunder/Nuggets/Spurs tier.” – you arent currently wrong, but if you follow the team you know they finished 24-8 last year and can easily do that again due to the crazy early scheduling they had.
It’s wild how over the top people are to an underperforming Warriors “windows closed” ok but they still make the playoffs and go to the 2nd round? Aka kinda close to a title? IF only “one” thing didnt happen, they likely would have won the title last season. Window is still wide open. Dubs have Will Richard now too. We don’t know how good he is, he seems to be improving every game. Post’s knock was on defense, but he’s been a monster out there over the last month.
That’s the thing man it wasn’t just one thing. If Curry doesn’t get injured and they move on they still had to beat the Thunder then the Pacers who both looked really good. Could it have happened sure but it didn’t so there’s no use in arguing about it. Jimmy Buckets was a great move by the Warriors and sure they could win this year but you say it like they are the favorites and you bet your house on it. We’re all fans and we comment here because we enjoy basketball I’m just saying keep that in mind and less of the “you don’t know ball stuff”. Merry Xmas dude enjoy your holidays
He doesnt even own a house. He lives in his step moms basement.
Lastly:
Homer? I’m not a Warriors homer, half the Warriors fans on here hate me for being so critical of Kerr and the team. I cannot be be a homer if half my Warriors posts are criticizing them and Kerr. This is wrong by letter of the word. You are using the word “homer” wrong, and applying it to me. You have to stop using words if you don’t know how to use them. Everyone here can see it.
You got 5 upvotes from people who hate me for being critical of the Warriors AND those who hate me for being a “homer” for Warriors. It can’t be both things, can yall please pick one and stick to it please?
Delulu Davey being delulu about himself.
Definition: A “homer” often refers to a sports fan who is excessively biased towards their home team, to the point of ignoring logic and objective analysis.
It is what it is man don’t let other people get to you. It’s just the whole “you don’t know ball” talk like I’ve stated twice. You wondered why cap doesn’t get the same hate that’s your answer. I’m not trying to hate I’m sure you’re a decent human being. You love the Warriors more power to you, personally I don’t think they’ll win this year. All good we’ll see how the season and playoffs play out
That’s a perfectly normal reply. Kudos. I have had people try to doxx me and fight me in real life on here before, just by saying “Dubs Better” and “You dont know ball” – lol its so stupid, its an anonymous comments section! We should be only talking hoops not about each other unless its “yes, and”-ing on here imo
Dubs looking nice with the TJD Jimmy Moody Podz Melton lineup, really getting downhill easily with no AD there today. Kerr challenged Curry and Dray to keep the TOs to 5 combined for the game. They have 5 at halftime. lol. Back to the game!
Well I’ll be damned, Curry and Dray finish with 5 TO for the game, zero in the second half – legendary stuff honestly
Maybe Cap gets less push back because he makes his point in a respectful way as opposed to your obnoxious way.
Seriously, telling others that their arrogant while claiming this part of the season doesn’t really count and they know less than you is the height of arrogance. I don’t remember you claiming this part of the year didn’t count when you beat the Spurs twice, in fact you were carrying on like a pork chop.
Good thing Portland are about to fall off though considering they are 3-0 against the Warriors this year.
I’ll take Knecht please …… Lakers have overachieved so far. Their D is always an issue with their top three stars not big time defenders.
They are a playoff team. The future is bright.
Davey J just makes it about the Warriors always. Takes are not the same.
Lakers and defense……. who knew 🧐🤔
Lakers not out of it yet as they are currently 4th seed but they need to win vs the Rockets to avoid a 3 game losing streak…😆
Lakers roster is decent, problem is that these defensive players are either hurt or they are getting older. Vando and Smart with Vincent. They need one interior back up defender alongside a guy in his prime on the ball defender. If they can get Herb Jones somehow that would be the perfect need and fit for them. As for interior backup defender, everyone wants and need them. Gafford would be ideal but high asking price with Lively out. They need a little more athleticism so guys can perform as well on switches.
Can probably only get Herb Jones if they include Reaves.
And I call out ReDick for being a dumb podcaster, not a coach.