The Los Angeles Lakers took another loss this week after a clash with the East’s number-one team: the Cleveland Cavaliers. At 3-1 on the season, the Lakers were looking to continue an impressive start on Wednesday before being completely obliterated in the opening 12 minutes of their latest contest.
After a 3-0 start, things were great for the organization and the fans were raving about the new possibilities with JJ Redick at the helm. This week, however, the Lakers got a swift reality check in the form of back-to-back losses. In the loss to the Suns on Monday, the Lakers failed to close the deal despite 29 points and 15 rebounds from Anthony Davis. It was a close and hard-fought battle to the end that could have gone either way.
Tonight’s match (134-110) was anything but competitive. After falling down 20 in the first quarter, the Lakers could never catch up and spent the rest of the night effectively waiting for the clock to strike zero. Anthony Davis had another fine performance with 22 points (9-17 FG) and 13 rebounds and LeBron James led all scorers with 26 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists (9-13 FG) but he was still -12 in the game mostly due to red-hot shooting from the Cavaliers that just wouldn’t let up.
Despite 48 points combined from the Lakers star duo, it wasn’t enough for them to make it close. Once the Cavaliers opened a big lead in the first quarter, they never looked back and their star-studded frontcourt carried them to the finish line. By the final buzzer, the Cavaliers shot 57.7% as a team and made 17 three-pointers compared to the Lakers’ 6.
Most Lakers fans have been blaming the role-players for the loss and it’s true that they failed to step up tonight with nobody except James, Davis, and Dalton Knecht scoring over 10 points in the game. The biggest culprit for the defeat, however, might be the defense.
The Lakers won the championship in 2020 based on their play on that end of the floor but it hasn’t been great lately and this season continues that worrying trend. Right now, the Lakers rank 15th in defensive rating with an average of 113.8 points allowed per game. Against the Cavaliers tonight, they just had no answer on defense and it’s why the game was almost out of reach before half-time.
In the frontcourt, the Cleveland Cavaliers abused the Lakers’ lack of a center and made life difficult for Anthony Davis around the rim. Jarrett Allen finished with his best game of the season (20 points, 17 rebounds, 2 blocks) and Evan Mobley had a breakout moment out there with 25 points and 5 rebounds in 18:45 minutes (12-16 FG).
With efficiency like that, it’s no wonder why the Lakers lost so badly and as they prepare for the next fight in Toronto on Friday, we could see Redick start to make some changes with the rotation, like sliding Anthony Davis up to the four and having another big man (Jaxson Hayes) start at center. This adjustment would strengthen the Lakers’ frontline and allow Davis to excel at his preferred position.
We might also see some changes with the backcourt. As arguably the weakest defensive position for the Lakers, guards routinely torch them as it’s well known by now that neither D’Angelo Russell nor Austin Reaves are high-quality defenders. If Redick moves Dalton Knecht to the starting unit and brings D’Lo off the bench, it might help improve resistance on the perimeter.
So far, no major changes have been made but the Lakers know how important strong defense is to their overall success, and if they truly want to match expectations this season it will require some serious adjustments on that end of the floor.
Unlike last season, the Los Angeles Lakers came into the 2024-25 campaign with high expectations for their standing in the West. Between LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and new head coach JJ Redick, the Lakers had plans to instill a new system and raise their ceiling to compete with the best.
At 3-2 overall, the Lakers are still in a position to make some noise this season but with the Western Conference so deep, they cannot afford to fall too far behind. As teams like the Nuggets, Mavericks, and Timberwolves compete for supremacy in the West, the Lakers will have to prove they belong in the conversation and it starts with cleaning up their defensive integrity.
Anthony Davis is keeping them alive on that end, but JJ Redick must get the others to buy in in order to maximize their odds in the West. Friday against the Raptors will be their next big test and a major challenge for their defense.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.
