All through this season, it has been troublesome to find out what to make of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Purple and Gold’s standing within the Western Convention has fluctuated between second and sixth place. Questions have additionally arisen as to whether or not they might defeat high quality opponents.
In the beginning of March, the Lakers have been sixth within the West and had a document of 12-17 towards groups over .500. Three weeks later, they’re 9-1 this month and are on a seven-game profitable streak.
The Purple and Gold’s sizzling streak this month has propelled them into third place. Their 5-1 document towards groups above .500 has proved that they’ll compete with the NBA’s greatest.
Some might marvel what has fueled such a powerful month, and the reply lies on the defensive finish of the ground.
Protection has been an space of concern for the Purple and Gold for a lot of the season. Their opponents average 114.9 points per game, whereas the Lakers’ level differential is hovering round plus-1.5 — an indicator of how slim their margin for error has been.
The Lakers have proven a brand new defensive depth this month, significantly within the turnover battle.
Of their final 10 video games, the Lakers have had a optimistic turnover margin seven instances and have pressured 10 or extra steals in six video games. This has instantly helped the offense, with the Lakers outscoring opponents 228-159 in points off turnovers. Whereas this degree of productiveness might not stay constant, the Lakers do not have to be an elite defensive workforce to win. This month, they’ve gained all three video games through which they misplaced the turnover battle.
If the Lakers can drive their opponents into errors and hold the turnover differential manageable, the offensive efforts of Luka Doncic, Lebron James and Austin Reaves must be sufficient to assist bridge the hole when the protection falls brief.
This strategy seems to be working. The Lakers have defeated 4 playoff groups throughout this 10-game stretch, together with back-to-back victories over the Houston Rockets and an exhilarating last-second win over the Denver Nuggets. It’s also price noting that the wins over the New York Knicks and the Minnesota Timberwolves got here with out LeBron James.
Though it’s a small pattern, March could also be an indicator that the Purple and Gold’s newfound model of play might place them for a deep playoff run.
