Top 3 defensive performers for the LA Lakers during the 2020-21 NBA season
The LA Lakers could not defend their title successfully in the 2020-21 NBA season. However, after their season was thoroughly derailed by long-term injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, there are some positives to take from the past campaign.
Frank Vogel's team did look dominant when James and Davis looked fit enough to be on the court, mainly right at the start of the season.
Game by game, the LA Lakers were at the top of the Western Conference or close to it early on during the 2020-21 NBA season. But when Davis and James fell with injuries, the team struggled to be consistent and ultimately finished seventh in the West with a 42-30 record.
A Play-In berth saw them compete against the Golden State Warriors to advance to the first round of the NBA Playoffs. James took care of business and the LA Lakers went through. Unfortunately for them, Davis suffered another injury in Game 4 of the first round and they eventually lost in six games against the Phoenix Suns.
Top 3 defenders for the LA Lakers during the 2020-21 NBA season
Among the positives for Vogel's LA Lakers was the effort on the defensive end, with and without their NBA superstars. Alex Caruso, Dennis Schroder and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope really stepped up in the absence of the LA Lakers' dynamic duo.
Although James and Davis missed more than 25 games each, the LA Lakers finished the regular season at the top of the league in Defensive Rating with 107.1 points allowed per 100 possessions. While that is a testament to Vogel's defensive mindset (which he has already shown with the Indiana Pacers), it is also proof that the Lakers have some solid defenders in the squad.
In this article, we will take a look at the Top 3 defensive players on the LA Lakers' roster during the 2020-21 NBA season.
Without further ado, let us start.
#3 Anthony Davis
Perhaps the only reason why Anthony Davis is not at the top of this list is due to the injuries he sustained throughout the 2020-21 NBA season. Davis missed half of the regular season with an aggravated tendinosis in his right Achilles and a calf strain.
However, Davis continued to be a great defender when he was on the court and his versatility on defense is simply a great asset for Frank Vogel's team.
Despite missing out on several games through injury, Davis still led the team in Defensive Rating with 104. Even though he did not qualify to be among the league leaders in that statistic, his influence defensively was big for the LA Lakers whenever he was on the court.
AD even finished fourth in the team in Defensive Win Shares and fourth in Defensive Box Plus/Minus. Moreover, he led the team in both steals and blocks per game.