The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the worst defensive teams in the league at the onset of the 2024-25 season. Through 17 games, they rank 27th in the NBA in defensive rating, and are only 0.6 points per 100 possessions away from the bottom-ranked team. They are the only team above .500 in the bottom seven of the league.
This is despite having one of the best defensive players in the league in Anthony Davis. The superstar center has done a remarkable job cleaning up mistakes for L.A. over the past few years, but he has not been able to do so this season.