Lakers opponents have fourth-best shot quality in NBA

The Lakers have been very good offensively, which is why they’ve fared well even with LeBron James sidelined.

Luka Doncic belongs in the early MVP discussions and Austin Reaves is looking like an All-NBA performer. When it comes to scoring points, the Lakers get it done time and again.

Defensively, though? Not so much. And that is apparently why ESPN insiders Zach Kram and Kevin Pelton were hesitant to put LA on their list of legit title contenders — even with LeBron.

Instead, Kram and Pelton placed the Lakers in their “conference finals party crashers” tier.

“Can Reaves sustain his leap when James returns, and can a lineup with Doncic, Reaves and James defend enough to win multiple playoff rounds?” Kram wrote. “Lakers opponents have the fourth-best shot quality in the NBA, according to GeniusIQ, with only the lowly Kings, Nets and Pelicans faring worse.”

Granted, it’s incredibly early, and not many teams are defending now like they intend to in the playoffs. For some of them, it’s not even close.

But this is a clear area in which the Lakers need to improve if they truly intend to crash the Western Conference party. And they do.

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