1 win and 5 losses! If James doesn t play, the Lakers lack brains on the defensive end and are in disarray. Doncic can t do it.

The Los Angeles Lakers' preseason tour has ended, with an overall record of 1 win and 5 losses. Although it is only a preseason game, for a team that aims to compete for the championship, this record is obviously unjustifiable. And in these 6 games, the biggest problem the Lakers have shown is their lack of defense.

How bad is the Lakers' current defense? Through three game scenes, we know that this team has no influence on the defensive end.

In the first scene, in the game between the Lakers and the Suns, Doncic and Rivers scored 25 points each in just three quarters. However, when they were on the court, the team did not establish a clear lead. Instead, the Suns' two role players chased each other. Butler scored 35 points and Goodwin scored 24 points.

The former is a marginal figure in the Suns, and the latter is a player the Lakers don't want, and both are guards. It can be said that the Lakers are overwhelmed by two role players who may be waived at any time. Coincidentally, just today, Butler was waived by the Suns.

In the second scene, Doncic and Rivers lost both games when they were on the court at the same time. This is the current embarrassment of the Lakers. When the two were on the court at the same time, in the first game, they each scored 25 points. In the second game, Doncic scored 31 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists, and Rivers scored 8 points. In these two games, the Lakers can be said to have the strongest lineup except James, but they just can't win. The reason is very simple. Your scoring ability can be very strong, but each of us can score. You win the data, and we win. It's that simple.

In the third scenario, when the inside and outside defenses are strengthened, the ball still cannot be won. Today, in addition to Doncic and Rivers, the team's three best defensive players, Ayton, Vanderbilt, and Smart, all played, but there was no improvement on the defensive end. Even if Smart got 4 steals in the game, it didn't help.

It can be seen from the above three scenes that the Lakers are now facing a situation where no matter which lineup they field, no matter which players they field, under various combinations, it is difficult to win, and a win is hard to come by. On the offensive end, the Lakers do not lack talent. Doncic and Rivers have performed very well overall, so the problem can only be defense.

Yes, the problem is now very clear. The reason for the Lakers' poor defense is James. Let me say the important things three times. It is not the presence of James that causes the Lakers' poor defense, but the absence of James that leads to the Lakers' poor defense!

Is James' defense good or not? It depends on whether you understand football or not. The difference is very big. The key lies in the perspective of looking at the problem.

From the perspective of an individual player, in addition to statistics, it usually depends on the player's performance on the court. Generally speaking, players who are generally considered to be good defenders have one characteristic, and that is death entanglement. Especially defenders, who follow their opponents throughout the whole process, causing the opponent to miss shots, which is considered a sign of strong defense. The most typical examples in this regard are Kobe and Jordan.

Obviously James does not belong to this type. James spends more time on the court observing the entire situation, so he is in a static state. One is standing still, and the other is running all over the court. From the effect point of view, James can easily be regarded as not defensive, but in fact, this is not the case, because James is a court commander and he stands at a higher angle. This is the defensive type we mentioned below.

From a team defensive perspective, James' greatest strength is actually his ability to control the field, whether on the offensive or defensive end. He has been observing on the court. On the defensive end, he will see through the opponent's tactics and direct his teammates to move. The most classic one is James directing thick eyebrows to defend against the air, and then directing Hayes to defend against the air.

This kind of case of acting as the team's brain and defensive commander on the defensive end has been done by others. During the Kings period, the scene when Rondo commanded Cousins ​​is very familiar to many old fans.

So, in terms of defense, James focuses on the overall defense of the team, which is the defensive axis of the team. Just like Draymond Green of the Warriors, Curry has the final say on the offensive end, but on the defensive end, Green has the final say. He has to call tactics and direct his teammates to defend. This is the responsibility of a defensive commander, and this is the defensive method that James truly advocates.

Let’s look back at the current situation of the Lakers. On the offensive end, both Doncic and Rivers have the commanding ability and the ability to break games. But when they switch to the defensive end, these two people are confused. Let alone directing their teammates to defend, they don’t even understand their own affairs. As long as they are not called out by the opponent, they are already lucky. They are still thinking about defending. They are overthinking.

Therefore, in recent times, no matter what method is used, the Lakers have always been unable to win, and the problem is obvious. In the current NBA, offense is encouraged, and every team has a strong offensive ability. The only difference is that some teams focus on individual players, and some teams have better overall offense. If you want to win, the defense cannot be too bad. Once the defense is not up to standard, winning is almost a luxury.

The Lakers' defense was not good in the absence of James. In addition, there is no one on the court to direct the defense, and everyone is fighting. It is a mess. Neither Doncic nor Rivers can do the task of directing the defense. Then it is reasonable and understandable that the Lakers cannot win the game.

Next, the real test will be in the regular season. James will miss the first 5 to 6 games. If the Lakers' record in these games is too poor, they will become very passive in the playoffs this year. I hope Lao James can come back soon..

1 win and 5 losses! If James doesn't play, the Lakers lack brains on the defensive end and are in disarray. Doncic can't do it