The Los Angeles Lakers had the best defense in the league last season. Anthony Davis led the team pretty well, as he was the anchor of the LA side’s defense. However, the 17-time champions did not have a great start to the last season. They had trouble finding balance and depth in their roster. But before the trade deadline, the front office managed to get some quality defensive players like Jarred Vanderbilt. However, they had to trade Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley during that period.
In fact, they wanted to trade these big players because they were just not fitting into their roster anymore. Meanwhile, the LA side is also looking to strengthen their offense after what happened last season in the conference finals. However, recently, Rui Hachimura said in a post-match interview that the Lakers can become the strongest defense in the NBA again.
As Per Hachimura, The Lakers Can Be The Strongest Defense In The NBA Again
Hachimura’s statement makes sense, as the Lakers have tremendous defensive talents and have the ability to switch 1-5 due to their pretty good depth. Moreover, the LA side has several outlets to beat their opponents defensively. However, the additions of Jaxson Hayes and Gabe Vincent should help the LA side in their defense. But they would surely miss the services of Dennis Schroder, the last World Cup’s MVP. Schroder moved to the Toronto Raptors in the offseason. Hence, the Lakers Faithful will have their eyes fixed on the candidate for the Defensive Player Of The Year, Anthony Davis.
"I think we have the ability to be the No. 1 defense in the league.”
— Late Night Lake Show (@LateNightLakers) October 13, 2023
— Rui Hachimura #LakeShow
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AD has not been able to play more than 75 games in a season ever in his career. But the Lakers would want him to stay on the court for as long as possible. Moreover, the LA side’s defense gets worse without the eight-time All-Star. Gradually, Anthony Davis, along with Jarred Vanderbilt, helped the Lakers to form the best defense in the previous season. Moreover, the front office wanted the defense to stay as strong as it had been in the last season. That’s the reason why the Lakers extended both Vanderbilt and AD’s contracts for long-term deals.
The LA Side Will Look Up To Anthony Davis To Lead A Strong Defense
Last season, it seemed like they didn’t have many options in the offense to counter the relentless attack of the Denver Nuggets. The Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray duo was too strong for the Lakers. Hence, the Lakers acquired players like Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, and Cam Reddish to bring some more balance to the roster in the offseason. Currently, Darvin Ham is experimenting with the rotation in the training camp.
However, the Lakers are not having a great time in the preseason games, as they have lost three out of five so far. Lately, the Lakers lost to the Milwaukee Bucks 108-97. But one good sign for the LA side is the impressive performance of Anthony Davis against the Milwaukee Bucks. He scored 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds and contributed more with five assists in a single half. Hence, AD is ready for the new regular season to begin. Clearly, AD improved his ability to stay on the floor.
