Lakers’ defensive improvements are real, but they’re also getting lucky

DETROIT — Multiple things can be true at the same time.

The Lakers have made significant and sustainable improvements defensively over the last few weeks, helping them win 12 of their previous 13 games, including a nine-game winning streak, entering Monday’s road game against the Pistons.

Their perimeter defense and on-ball containment on drives are better. Their shifts and presence off of the ball have improved. Their collective energy and effort to make multiple-effort plays defensively – and just straight up hustle – has been evident.

The Lakers have been more consistent with executing their defensive game plans.

All of these elements, and the factors that go into them like focus, buy-in and connectedness, helped the Lakers rank seventh in defensive rating over their previous 13 games entering Monday. 

But the Lakers are also benefiting greatly from opponent 3-point shooting luck – specficially opponents not shooting as well on 3s as they were earlier in the season.

In their first 58 games, opponents shot 36.6% on 3s against the Lakers, a four-way tie for the seventh-highest opponent 3-point percentage across the league.

But their opponents haven’t been as dangerous with their perimeter shooting lately.

Opponents have shot 30.3% on 3s against the Lakers over the previous 13 games, which is easily the lowest mark in the league during that stretch. Opponents have gone from averaging 40.2 points per game off 3s against the Lakers to 31.8. 

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Outside of improved transition defense, this has been one of the biggest changes over the last few weeks for the Lakers, who remain one of the league’s worst teams at protecting the rim.

“I know that teams have had, for most of the season, outperformed – basically overshot 3s vs undershot threes,” coach JJ Redick said before Saturday’s road win over the Magic. “I don’t think there’s been anything egregious for the last two months. You gotta make people miss; our contests are better. Containing the drive is better, though it was terrible in Miami. 

“As a guy on the ball, I know because I played, when you have confidence that you have a low man and you have confidence that you have everybody in their proper shift position, it gives you more confidence to guard the basketball. And it’s no different than telling a big to be up to touch in pick and roll. He’s going to be up to touch and pick and roll if he’s confident that there’s a low man and that if the roller gets behind, he’s going to have protection. That’s an ongoing process for every team. We’ve gotten better and we’ll continue to get better.”

A deeper dive shows opponents went from shooting a higher percentage on 3s classified as “open” (closest defender is 4-6 feet away) or “wide open” (closest defender is six-plus feet away) at a combined clip of 37.4% (12.3 of 32.9) in the first 58 games to 31.4% (9.9 of 31.5) over the last 13.

Yes, the Lakers are making their own luck, in a sense, by having better contests on 3-point shooters.

Making those multiple-effort plays, which can disrupt the opposing team’s rhythm.

And there were signs of improved defense from mid-January: the Lakers have had an above-average defense rating since Jan. 18.

But they’ve also been getting lucky lately – something they don’t need to apologize for but is also important to acknowledge.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Lakers star guard Luka Doncic on Monday was named the Western Conference player of the week for the second consecutive week.

He averaged 42.3 points on 50.0% shooting (39% from 3s), 6.8 rebounds, 6.3 assists and three steals in the Lakers’ four wins last week, bolstering his case to be considered for league MVP honors. 

Doncic has been named the player of the week a league-best four times this season. 

STATUS UPDATE

Starting guard Marcus Smart (right ankle soreness) and reserve forward Rui Hachimura (right calf soreness) were downgraded to unavailable against the Pistons after entering the game as questionable. 

Reserve big man Maxi Kleber (lumbar back strain) was available for the first time since March 8.

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