Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves echoed LeBron James on the need for sharper team defense after the club’s latest loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
“Just have to be better,” Reaves said following the defeat. “Like LeBron said, you gotta guard. There’s so much talent in this league, you gotta guard everybody with five people.”
The Lakers, powered offensively by Luka Doncic, Reaves and James, sit near the top of the NBA in scoring. Their defense, however, has lagged behind. The team is currently 27th in opponent three-point percentage and has struggled to keep pace with younger, faster lineups, resulting in several lopsided losses.
Reaves, often tasked with chasing quick perimeter scorers, believes the group can improve despite personnel concerns. “I think there’s a lot of room for growth,” he said. “We know we can do it, but we have to be a group that guards with five people. We’ve got to be on a string, know our rotations and play hard on that end.”
Players such as Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia and Jarred Vanderbilt provide defensive intensity off the bench, but their limited offensive production has left head coach JJ Redick juggling lineups. Individually, Reaves has also hit a brief offensive skid after an All-Star-caliber start to the season, yet Redick expressed no concern. The coach expects the third-year guard to rebound quickly.
Los Angeles will look to tighten its rotations and communication ahead of its next matchup in hopes of balancing one of the league’s most potent offenses with a more consistent defense.
Source: Lakers Nation
