Lakers Can Prove Nico Harrison Right

Nico Harrison has been saying it for months now. He doubles down and triples down on his take, “Defense wins championships.” While the entire Mavs fanbase might be angry with him for trading Luka Doncic to LA, he might get the last laugh. In their first game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Los Angeles Lakers were exposed on the defensive end. Will that trend continue? Well, in Game 2, the Lakers might have to find a way to respond, otherwise they will prove Nico right.

Lakers Can Prove Nico Harrison Right

In their first game against the Lakers, the Timberwolves shot 21 for 42 on three-pointers. Now, some might call it a fluke. Shooting 50% from behind the arc is not a usual game. But most of them were open looks. The Lakers allowed Minnesota to shoot freely and openly. And it came to haunt them. It is worth noting that the Timberwolves were the fourth-best team in terms of three-point percentage during the regular season. Giving them open looks is not a recipe for success in the playoffs.

JJ Redick Might Have to Switch Lakers Defensive Scheme

Nearly three months ago, the Lakers had one of the best defenses in the league. From mid to late January, to mid-February, the Lakers had an amazing defense. That is when they went on a run, despite missing Anthony Davis for most of the time. He was injured and then traded to Dallas for Luka.

But that defense relied heavily on luck and opponents missing their shots. Redick’s solution to the lack of rim protection is to pack the paint and allow open three-pointers.

That might work in the regular season, when you play teams that do not have many good three-point shooters. But in the playoffs, it is a risky strategy. The Milwaukee Bucks are the only team that has used that strategy to win a championship.

Can the Lakers Devise a Solid Defense?

The first priority for the Lakers in the series against the Timberwolves is to decide what they want to give up. In the playoffs, teams have to find a way to remove something but allow other aspects of the game. The problem for the Lakers in the first game was they were trying to take away everything—and ended up allowing everything.

The Lakers doubled Anthony Edwards and packed the paint. They wanted to take away his drives. But what Ant did was dish it out to open teammates. As a result, Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid both scored 20+ points. McDaniels was 3-3 from three-point range, Reid was 6-9, and Julius Randle was 4-6. Even Mike Conley hit 2 of 3. The only players struggling with their three-point shot in Game 1 were Donte DiVincenzo and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

LeBron to the Rescue?

One thing Lakers fans can hope is that this was just another feel-out game for LeBron James. He is known for using the first game of a series to see what the opponents are doing and figure out how to attack.

In fact, the NBA’s leading scorer has won three championships after surrendering Game 1 in the Finals. James also has a 12-11 series record after falling behind in the first game.

Can the Lakers Go Small to Improve their Defense?

The Los Angeles Lakers used their centers for a total of 11 minutes in Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jaxson Hayes played eight minutes, and Alex Len played three.

One thing that the Lakers can try to improve their defense is to play small. This allows them to play more of their best defenders, including Dorian Finney-Smith, Jared Vanderbilt, and Rui Hachimura. Playing Hayes eight minutes per game doesn’t do anything.

The Lakers do not have much time to show they are a serious threat to win a championship. If they lose in the first round and get bullied on defense, Nico Harrison can smile. That will make the Luka trade less painful for Mavs fans.