Derek Fisher thinks the Lakers’ real edge isn’t coming from the defensive end at all. It starts with Luka Doncic, and it starts early.
That was Fisher’s read on Los Angeles while talking to 97.1 The Fan, where he pushed back on the idea that the Lakers have to become a shutdown defensive team to control games. The Lakers have been trying to build that identity, but Fisher said their offense is already doing the heavy lifting.
“We spent a lot of our time talking about the Lakers and the commitment to the defensive end that they wanted to have, that they could be a nasty defensive team. I think the reality thus far is that their best defense is their offense.
“I don’t know if they’re going to necessarily be a lockdown, shut-them-down team defensively. I think the pressure that they put on you offensively is what will break teams’ spirit, and that’ll be the end of the floor where they can impose their will the most.”
The timing of Fisher’s comments matters. JJ Redick was frustrated during the Lakers-Raptors game when Los Angeles let a fourth-quarter lead slip, even though the team still pulled out the win.
It was the kind of stretch that reminded everyone the Lakers are still not where Redick wants them defensively. They sit 16th in the league in Defensive Rating, allowing 114.4 points per 100 possessions.
But Fisher’s point is that the Lakers may not need to win with stops if Doncic keeps putting teams under immediate pressure. He pointed to the way Los Angeles starts games, and how that changes the tone before opponents can settle in.
Speaking after the Lakers’ 138-117 win over the Miami Heat, Fisher said Doncic’s early scoring bursts make life miserable for the other side.
“I think that’s really what stands out the most, they’re going to stress people out on the offensive end. They start fast because Luka starts fast, which automatically puts a lot of stress and anxiety on opposing teams because you’re almost playing from behind against them.
“It’s really hard to get a lead on them just due to how fast Luka can get his production started.”
Doncic backed that up against Miami with 42 points, and he’s averaging 38.3 points per game this season. He has scored more than 40 in four of his past five games, a run that has made Fisher’s argument hard to ignore.
The praise around Doncic has only grown. Sandro Mamukelashvili called his ability “unexplainable”, while Sasha Vujacic said his “killer instinct” reminds him of Kobe Bryant.
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