“I think so,” James said if the Lakers defense has truly improved, via LakersNation.
“I think we’ve made some strides defensively. We didn’t play much at all in zone tonight. We started the game out with it, we kind of went away from it. I thought the man-to-man defense was pretty good. Jaxson [Hayes] and Marcus [Smart] were great on that end and then everybody else trickled in as well.”
Lakers Win Third in a Row
During their three-game winning streak, the Lakers also rank third in offensive rating (121.9) and fifth in net rating (19.9), while also ranking top-three in defense. Some have tried to undermine the streak by highlighting that the wins have come against three subpar teams: the Golden State Warriors, the Sacramento Kings and the Pelicans.
However, the Lakers had every reason to be thrilled with their win on Tuesday, especially since they needed to go on a late fourth-quarter run to pull it off.
“We fought, but it was one of those good fights,” said Marcus Smart, who finished with 10 points, seven assists, four steals and three blocks, via The Orange County Register.
“Even though we were down and things were looking a little shady for us, not once did you know, on the bench, did anybody start freaking out or start panicking. And you know, that’s what you need, especially in those chaotic moments.”
Luka Doncic explained why the Lakers needed to be tested.
“I think we responded in a good way,” said the Slovenian, who led the team with 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
“Sometimes you got to win playing bad. That’s what good teams do. I think that’s what it is today. Obviously it wasn’t our best game, but we managed to get a win.”