Lakers' Defensive Problems

[Princeinrevolt]

I have no idea where to put this so I just made a new thread.

Read on Twitter

Lakers give up as a team 63.4 percent at the rim

Mozgov gave up 41.2% at the rim

Nance has given up 67.8% around the rim

Randle gave up 51.9% at the rim

Zu gave up 64.1% but on a small sample (25/39). If he gives up 5 less his % is 51.3%. 5 more makes 76.9%.

D'Angelo Russell is giving up 64.4% at the rim

The rest of the Laker team is giving up 56.6% at the rim, 1.5% better than league average
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It looks like our defense is much better when we have Mozgov playing. As much as we hate his contract, he isn't that bad on the defensive end, and his midrange shooting is pretty good. I think we should keep him for at least one more year (not stretch him), because Zubac is not ready. But Zubac definitely should be the first big off the bench.

Randle > Nance Jr. on defense around the rim. I'm actually kind of shocked. Randle is also better at defense when switching on to a perimeter player. Where does that leave Nance? Maybe we are just wowed by some of his steals, and hustle thinking he is a great defensive player, but is really not. Maybe i'm just spewing BS though so I'm not sure. Larry Nance gives it his all every game, so he is already a much better defender than Randle in that aspect.

Lastly, D'angelo Russell giving up 64.4% at the rim. I don't know how to feel about that. Its definitely really bad, but he is a perimeter player so I don't know.

[Spens1]

I think with Zubac developing our defense around the rim will improve. However Randle is still a very poor defender as is most of our squad. Hopefully in the offseason they get drilled on defense.

[Pythagoras]

Great statistical finds. This is why I say Zubac's growth as a defensive presence is far far more important to the team than his growth as an offensive player. The Lakers need him to be more of a 14/10 guy who is a defensive force than a 20/10 guy.

Randle continues to impress me. He was a guy I was ready to hit the eject button on after this year, but he's improved by leaps and better bounds. Nance giving up that high a number is troubling. I really like Nance, but you can't be a big giving up those kind of numbers around the rim.

Lastly, Russell has to get that number down some. As a perimeter player, his rim percentage is not going to be as important as big's, but he still needs to be a little better. I've been one of his biggest supporters, but if he could even get those numbers down by a couple of percentage points it would be a huge boon to our defense.