The Los Angeles Lakers passed a tough test last Monday night by defeating the No.2 seeded Houston Rockets 104-98 on their home floor. Although the difference in the game was the long bombs of Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent, the Lakers put up an impressive defensive effort that held a Rockets team that averaged 114.0 points per game to less than 100 points.
For the most part, the Lake Show used a small-ball lineup that saw center Jaxson Hayes limited to just 14 minutes of playing time. In that lineup, superstar forward LeBron James played the center position. Not only did he do a good job of defending and rebounding, but Bron also came up with the huge help side block on Alperen Sengun that sealed the win.
But as great as that defensive performance was, former Lakers guard Danny Green said that he doubts whether the Lakers can sustain such effort in a playoff series with the league’s oldest current player manning the center position.
“I don’t know if he can play the five position at the age of 40 for a seven-game series,” said Green of LeBron.
“I do like what he did last night, but they need to rely on their offense.”
The offense has to show up too
The Lakers’ small ball lineup threw off the Rockets for most of the game with an active, aggressive, and physical defense that pressured the ball all night and forced turnovers, holding Houston to just 41.6 percent field goal shooting and 16 points below their season scoring average.
But by focusing too much on defense, the Lakers’ offense struggled, with LeBron, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves combining to shoot just 16-39 from the field and 3-14 from behind the three-point arc. According to Green, if the Lakers need to win in the postseason, their offense must also perform.
“They need the Big 3 to play well. They need to score, they need their bench, and they need all hands on deck for them to have a chance against teams like OKC, against Houston. Houston shot poorly in that first quarter and for most of the game. I don’t know if they’ll do that for a seven-game series, so they’re gonna need their offense as much as their defense,” he added.
One game back, the Lakers’ new Big 3 had arguably their best performance together when they combined for 85 out of the Lakers’ 134 points in a big win over the Grizzlies in Memphis. LeBron, Luka, and AR became the first trio in NBA history to post a stat line of 25-5-5 with two three-point makes in a single game.
In that game, the Lakers shot 50.6 percent from the floor and 44.2 percent from three-point range. They also made 92.6 percent of their 27 free throws. With the offensive arsenal on full display, the 2023 NBA Defensive Player of the Year could not stop the scoring avalanche.
There is no question that the Lakers are an offensive juggernaut when their starting five is rolling, and their role players are hitting their threes. However, that offense has blown hot and cold, which is why their defense has to be as good, too.
It’s hard to blame Green for doubting a 40-year-old to anchor a team’s defense in a playoff series. But with the way LeBron has defied Father Time so far, it would be foolish to doubt him now.
