Defense is something that the Los Angeles Lakers have typically taken pride in, but that script completely flipped to start the 2024-25 season. That came as a bit of a surprise considering Anthony Davis is manning the middle, but head coach JJ Redick has been trying to find answers to improve on that end of the floor.
Through this early part of the season, the Lakers relied heavily on their offense to keep them in games. Quite simply, the purple and gold could not get enough stops when it mattered most, but that also points out a personnel issue.