During the first two years of Frank Vogel’s coaching tenure, the Lakers reached the playoffs thanks in large part due to a stifling interior defense reminiscent of Vogel’s Indiana Pacers teams from the early 2010s. But after the Lakers again transformed their roster around LeBron James and Anthony Davis this past summer, the team is 16th in the league in defensive rating, allowing 107.4 points per game, a precipitous drop from their top-three status the last two years.
And while it’s early and injuries have played a role, the Lakers’ dip also comes despite a fairly easy schedule so far, during which the Lakers have struggled against some teams who their talent should have overwhelmed, including handing the Oklahoma City Thunder their only two wins of the season.