The Los Angeles Lakers entered Monday at 27-17 and winners of three of their last four, yet questions about the club’s direction remain.
Columnist Khobi Price of the California Post noted that the team’s profile “is shaky” even with a solid record. Injuries have been a factor: LeBron James missed training camp, the entire preseason and the first 14 regular-season games because of sciatica, while Austin Reaves has been largely sidelined since mid-December. James, Reaves and Luka Doncic have shared the court in only eight of the Lakers’ 44 contests to date.
Statistically, Los Angeles owns the NBA’s ninth-best offense but just the 25th-ranked defense, a disparity that does not align with championship ambitions. Fifteen of the Lakers’ 17 defeats have come by double digits, and the team’s overall point differential is in the red.
Head coach JJ Redick stressed the importance of sustained effort and execution at both ends of the floor, echoing Price’s assertion that title contenders are built on reliability. Lineup decisions could become more critical once Reaves returns. The grouping of Doncic, Reaves, James, Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton struggled in limited minutes earlier in the season, while more defense-oriented units have offered better balance.
With star power in place but structure still in flux, Los Angeles continues to seek a reliable identity as the season moves toward its second half.
Source: Hoops Wire
