NBA Insider slammed Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic for his poor defensive effort and performance in Game 4. While reviewing the Lakers’ loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves on the “Ringer” podcast, Lowe cited Doncic’s defensive execution as a reason for the loss.
“Why do you have to get humiliated at the beginning of every single playoff series before you show the world, like, yeah, I can put in a little bit more of an effort on defense,” said Lowe, referring to Doncic.
“If you go back and watch Game 1 and 2 of that Phoenix series,” he continued. “He is so bad defensively that it is laughable. And then all of a sudden, he becomes passable.”
Lowe shared his opinions on the trade and reiterated that he wouldn’t have done the trade in the first place. He even added that the possibility of trading Doncic in the offseason wouldn’t be a crazy idea.
He continued to speak about Doncic’s approach to defense being a last resort in the face of adversity and how much it infuriated him. “How about you put up a f***ing fight in Game 1 of the second round? And now you’re down 3-1 and you’re probably going home.”
Lowe’s critique of Doncic has been echoed by many fans and analysts of the sport. As brilliant as the Slovenian has been on offense, he has appeared to be virtually non-existent on the defensive side of the ball.
When such a glaring shortcoming presents itself, it becomes an obvious target for any opposition. Minnesota has exploited the Doncic matchup throughout this series. By getting the Lakers guard out on an island against Anthony Edwards, the Wolves are putting their best player in a position to score and distribute at will.
Although the eye-test would show that Doncic has shown active hands and has certainly made more of an effort on defense, it hasn’t been enough. In this regard, the reasons cited by Mavericks GM Nico Harrison for trading the star suddenly ring true.
It is fair to say that Doncic’s contributions on the offensive end have been largely beneficial to the Lakers. His 38-point performance in Game 4 was vital. However, simply scoring more points isn’t enough in the playoffs.
Another point of concern for the Lakers will be Doncic’s reduced impact as a playmaker. With only two assists in Game 4, it is evident that the guard has been struggling to get the team going offensively. This stagnation in overall production had an impact on the team’s productivity when fatigue inevitably became a factor in losing Game 4.
Now, in a win-or-go-home situation, the Lakers will look to their star duo to keep their postseason aspirations alive. With their backs against the wall, the Purple and Gold will attempt to best the Wolves in Game 5 at the Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday at 10 pm ET.
