The Los Angeles Lakers have been turning heads with their defense lately, showing significant improvement over the past six weeks. Entering Thursday, March 12, they ranked 12th in the NBA in defensive rating since February 1, addressing a crucial weakness.
However, things took a turn on March 12 when the Lakers found themselves in a high-scoring battle, ultimately pulling off a 142-130 victory against the Chicago Bulls.
While a win is a win, the defensive lapses were evident, coinciding with LeBron James' return after missing three games due to injury. It's not all on James, though. Prior to this, the Lakers had impressive wins against the Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks, holding them to 97 and 106 points, respectively.
In James' last two appearances, the Lakers have allowed 120 and 130 points. Yet, in the six games before that, they never let opponents score more than 113. This suggests they have the potential to tighten things up defensively.
There's a growing narrative that the trio of Luka Doncic, James, and Austin Reaves isn't clicking defensively. It's crucial for the veteran James to steer the team back on course.
LeBron James needs to address the narrative that he can't coexist with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves
A lingering concern for the Lakers is that the Doncic-Reaves duo has shone brighter without James on the floor this season. With a solid sample size of 949 possessions, their two-man lineup ranks in the 93rd percentile in net rating and 88th in both offensive and defensive ratings when James isn't playing, according to Cleaning the Glass.
When James joins the lineup, the effectiveness drops: 71st percentile in net rating and 46th in offensive rating.
Contrary to popular belief, the defense remains solid with James on the court. Yet, games like the one against Chicago fuel the noise, making it harder to ignore.
James can quiet these criticisms by leading the team to defensive excellence, proving they can defend effectively with him in the lineup.
LeBron James needs to find defensive harmony with Rui Hachimura
A key challenge for James is finding synergy with Rui Hachimura. Currently, the lineup of Doncic, Hachimura, James, and Reaves sits in the 39th percentile in net rating and 38th in defensive rating.
Without James, the trio of Doncic, Hachimura, and Reaves soars to the 89th percentile in net rating and 86th in defensive rating.
Removing Hachimura isn't the solution, especially since he's a vital scorer after the star trio. Instead, James needs to take the lead in collaborating with Hachimura to enhance their on-court chemistry.
If James succeeds, head coach JJ Redick will have more lineup options come playoff time. If not, the Lakers might face an early playoff exit due to limited rotation flexibility.