📍 April 18, 2025 | By Ramona Shelburne
On February 1, when the Los Angeles Lakers finalized their stunning trade for Luka Doncic, it was easy to overlook what happened on the court that night: a decisive 128-112 win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden — without Anthony Davis, their best defender.
The box score hinted at something unusual: Knicks stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns struggled against the Lakers’ defense, while New York’s role players carried the scoring load. The trend continued over the next two games — James Harden and Kawhi Leonard had poor shooting performances, while Stephen Curry scored 37 points but was wildly inefficient from three-point range.
During a 13-2 stretch following the trade, league scouts started paying close attention. The Lakers had transformed from the NBA’s 20th-ranked defense into its top-ranked unit.
The question around the league became clear: How were the Lakers shutting down star players without Davis anchoring their defense?
The Secret Behind the Lakers’ Defensive Revival
Some thought the Lakers were simply daring teams to shoot more threes. Others credited Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent. Some scouts believed it was simply elite effort. None of these explanations told the full story.
The real answer: a sophisticated, analytics-driven defensive system devised by first-year head coach JJ Redick and his staff — and quarterbacked on the court by LeBron James.
Former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski described it best:
“What they’re doing seems very simple, but it’s actually a lot of preparation. They make it so that the other team’s lower-percentage shooters are taking more shots.”
The Lakers’ plan was simple but effective:
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Funnel the ball to low-efficiency shooters.
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Overwhelm stars with multiple defenders.
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Control spacing without over-relying on traditional rim protection.
Instead of funneling everything toward Davis, the Lakers crowd the floor, show early help, and force role players into uncomfortable situations.
How It Works
The Lakers’ defensive philosophy relies on two key principles:
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Limit Shots at the Rim: Only 39.9% of opponent shots come inside, the third-lowest rate in the NBA.
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Force Threes — But From the Right Shooters: 49% of opponent shots are three-pointers, the second-highest rate — but they come mostly from weaker shooters.
According to GeniusIQ data since January 30:
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Opponents shoot just 36.8% on wide-open threes against the Lakers, third-best in the NBA.
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Lower-efficiency scorers are encouraged to shoot, while star players face double teams and traps.
At the center of it all is LeBron James, orchestrating the defense like a quarterback. Redick explained:
“Quarterback is an offensive position, but he’s the quarterback on defense — it’s his voice and his IQ.”
James constantly directs switches, scrams, and doubles, allowing the Lakers to operate with a smaller, more versatile defensive lineup. When James is on the floor, the Lakers’ communication and rotations are sharp. When he’s off, the defense often falters.
Why It Matters for the Playoffs
The Lakers’ scheme is not foolproof. When communication breaks down or when teams hit difficult threes, they can be exposed. But when executed properly, it has turned a roster with perceived defensive weaknesses into one of the NBA’s stingiest units.
Now, with a first-round matchup against Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves looming, the Lakers’ defense faces its biggest test yet.
Minnesota can attack big or small, and Edwards is capable of exploiting even small breakdowns. But if the Lakers trust their rotations, maintain their help principles, and follow LeBron’s leadership, they have a real chance to control the series.
From the moment they traded for Doncic, the Lakers became more dangerous. But it is their defense — built on a foundation of trust, analytics, and communication — that might carry them further than anyone expected.
