The Los Angeles Lakers are finding themselves in a rough patch - and it’s not just a blip on the radar. They’ve dropped two straight and five of their last nine, and the common thread in those losses? Defense, or more accurately, the lack of it.
In three of their last five games, the Lakers have surrendered at least 132 points. That’s not just a bad night or two - that’s a trend.
And in today’s NBA, where offensive firepower is everywhere, poor defense becomes a flashing red light. Teams around the league are picking up on it, and they’re attacking L.A. with confidence.
Tuesday night’s 132-108 loss to the Phoenix Suns was another example of that vulnerability on full display. After the game, head coach JJ Redick didn’t sugarcoat it.
He called out the defensive shortcomings, and it’s hard to blame him. When your team is giving up that many points, the issues run deeper than just missed rotations or late closeouts.
And it’s not just coming from the coaching staff. Marcus Smart, one of the few players on this roster known for his defensive chops, didn’t hold back either. The veteran guard, who brings both grit and leadership, gave an honest - and pretty blunt - assessment of where things stand.
“It doesn't matter what the percentages say, it doesn't matter what the numbers say,” Smart said. “You can't go by that. We gotta go by understanding that we wear the Lakers across our jersey and everybody's coming to try to kill us.”
That’s the reality of playing in purple and gold. The Lakers are always a target, and Smart knows it.
But awareness alone isn’t enough. As he went on to explain, the team’s effort and execution on defense just haven’t been there.
“We're being real [expletive] right now, and it's showing,” Smart said. “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.”
That’s the key. The Lakers still have time to right the ship, but the clock is ticking.
And Smart’s concerns go beyond just X’s and O’s. He pointed to effort plays - giving up offensive rebounds in crucial moments, letting opponents get wherever they want on the floor, and a general lack of urgency.
“There’s no help, there’s no resistance, there’s no urgency,” he said. “So, it’s tough.
And JJ is right. There’s really nothing he can do.
It’s on us.”
He’s not wrong. You can draw up the best defensive schemes in the world, but if players aren’t rotating, boxing out, or contesting shots with purpose, none of it matters. The Lakers don’t have to be the 2004 Pistons, but they can’t be a turnstile either.
The frustrating part? This team is still 19-9 on the season.
That record suggests a contender, but the recent slide has exposed cracks in the foundation. Right now, L.A. sits in fourth place in the Western Conference - 2.5 games behind the second-place Spurs and just 1.5 games ahead of the sixth-place Rockets.
And speaking of the Rockets, they’re up next. On Christmas Day, no less.
Houston comes in ranked third in both points per game and offensive rating. That’s not exactly the matchup you want when your defense is leaking oil.
For the Lakers, this upcoming game isn’t just about getting back in the win column. It’s a gut check. A chance to prove that they can respond to adversity, tighten the screws on defense, and remind the league that they’re more than just a high-powered offense.
Because if they don’t? The Western Conference won’t wait around.