When the Los Angeles Lakers played their regular rotation players together during the preseason, they looked fairly good offensively. But the defensive end was generally a concern, no matter who was on the court for them.
On Friday against the Sacramento Kings, they didn’t have any real trouble scoring points, especially through three and a half quarters, until coach JJ Redick pulled his regulars. But they allowed Sacramento to shoot 54.7% from the field and 44.8% from 3-point range, and down the stretch, they couldn’t get stops, resulting in a 117-116 loss.
There was a noticeable lack of physicality on the Lakers’ part, and it was something Luka Doncic noted afterward.
“I think we started a little bit slow, not being physical,” he said. “I think when we start games being physical is when we’re at our best. So we need to be more physical for sure, getting the ball in the pick-and-rolls. So just be more physical.”
Defense is the big concern with the Lakers this season, and it is the main reason many predict they will finish in the middle of the pack in terms of playoff seeding or even fall into the play-in tournament. Luckily, center Deandre Ayton has looked intent on focusing on protecting the rim, and guard Marcus Smart, who had four steals on Friday, should also help significantly on that end of the floor.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Luka Doncic: Lakers need to be more physical on defense
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
