Could More Physicality Help the Lakers' Defense? Plus, Jaxson Hayes is back! (So are Durant, Beal)

[@deandrepage1048]

It starts with you Austin Reaves. Add more physicality to your performance on the defensive side of the ball.

[@Dollaupt]

Only thing that has changed is rui is back in the line up which he should be coming off the bench as of now DK4 is a top 3 scorer in this team when he gets the opportunities rui has yet to prove himself in that way & with the extra scoring power it will help out there transition defense

[@nikeswagger8333]

On this current lakers roster. A.D. is the only laker player that brings the total package with physicality and athleticism on defense/offense from game to game.

[@johnjovanovichwick4194]

Ad don’t bring shit but softness because that’s what he is. He only takes advantage of matchups he knows he’s physically more imposing. Soft against Orlando physical team, soft against Denver physical team and Denver not even like that this year. ADina Davis is SOFT

[@OwnerOpEdu]

The healing powers of a Lakers schedule 😂😂😂

[@datcooley6319]

I think Andy is on to something with recognizing what Austin is saying. I think the reverse has been happening to the Lakers on the offensive side. They cant keep just calling fouls for the Lakers over and over again, at some point the level of physicality gets raised and the refs stop calling the fouls the Lakers bank on. I think they are taking that problem and making it the solution for the defense. If we push the bar on physicality and give a couple fouls, eventually the bar gets raised and they get away with more as the refs cant keep stopping the game for every little touch. Its a good theory in my opinion, and worth testing. I would encourage role players to push the bar on physicality at the cost of them drawing more fouls early on.

[@LockedOnLakers]

Excellent point. The Lakers can look to dictate the terms of how a game gets called and then hopefully use it to their own advantage on both ends. AK

[@michaelcodelmar9547]

Hayes is a good addition...He plays hard

[@TonyMontanaMIYAYO]

yeah and he also hit and spit on women…but I guess yall need all the help yall can get to beat Denver😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@stanjohnson7849]

Y’all go back to Boston

[@TonyMontanaMIYAYO]

@@stanjohnson7849 you gonna wish you was from Boston when the Celtics buss y’all asssss😂😂😂

[@johnjovanovichwick4194]

@@TonyMontanaMIYAYOto a bad he paid his debt to society already that “girl”. Will be alright 😂😂😂

[@TonyMontanaMIYAYO]

@ 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@SmittyWitTheVibes]

For the love of God PLEASE start Knecht over Cam tonight. This team is an offensive team just lean all the way into the strength. Knecht can go off for 20+ while not disrupting what LeBron & AD does.

[@stanjohnson7849]

Where is our point of attack defender slowing the other team up and forcing the other team into mistakes 🤷🏽‍♂️. Have Max do this sometimes until Vando is back cuz we got stir up the shit storm 🌪️. to change up the dynamics on defense

[@smokeysettings1952]

There’s no point trying to be more physical the problem is we don’t have guys that have a reputation of being stoppers our best stopper is out injured so until we get more two way guys. What’s funny is Darvin was a dirty work guy as a player and knows a thing or two about defence. So I’m intrigued to know what JJ’s philosophy on defence as he’s never played D for one minute his whole career. Lastly they need a big man coach for AD all the coaches we have used to be shooting guards so yeah they’ve helped AD touch on the perimeter but he’s noticeably not playing d like last year

[@bamboosho0t]

We have too many 1-way players. DLo, offense. AR, offense. DK, offense. Rui, offense. LeBron at 40, offense. Jaxon, offense. Gabe, traffic cone. Our only active 2-way (offense and defense) players are AD and Max, and Max's not THERE yet. We really miss C. Wood and Vando. Vando was defense, and C. Wood was closer to a 2-way. Even with those 2, we need more.

[@justthisguy1948]

@@bamboosho0twood is trash and vando has zero offense

[@bamboosho0t]

@@justthisguy1948 Wood hasn't been healthy enough or utilized effectively in the past (Ham) to say he’s “trash.” We need Vando’s defense. Yes, I’d rather have KCP…OH, right, we had him. Thanks, Rob.

[@Cobards24]

this system requires AD to be a Hub, theres no way he can focus on being on offense/Defense thats a bit too much. they need a big

[@bamboosho0t]

@Cobards24 And thanks to Rob, handing out 4 player option deals that all expired this past off-season... and not anticipating new CBA adjustments... it handicapped the entire off-season. We could've had a big and a wing player at minimum.

[@irabonta1874]

Bronny should get Gabe mins

[@Ro6ns]

Anyone should get Gabe’s minutes at this point 😂

[@lucasanfilippo5370]

Hi guys.. let's be honest.. we are in trouble, unless Vando comes back and he plays great.. and still we would be behind Denver, OKC and co.. to me, we shouldnt get rid of Denis. We are in a situation where our guard cant be Just defense. Our best 3, Who is injured already plays One dimensional.. Rui is too unreliable. Denis to me looks like the only possible trade. Too many competitors have Better assets than us. Nobody wants Dlo.. Denis is a Little small but I dont see we have any chance at bigger names and for no reasons we should waste any pick for a starting five level center.. no reasons at all..

[@Andrew-pv8oz]

Lakers have 2 top players and they’re in trouble? 😂 ok buddy they need to get some wings and back up big they are fine

[@lucasanfilippo5370]

@Andrew-pv8oz yes like the previous 4 years.. p.s. yes, we get the Invisible Man(when he faces Jokic) and King Geezer.. we Will be fine against Jokic, Boston, Luka, NY.. sure.. fine.. now I can relax, because we are ok... Sure..

[@logicalbrother]

Watching the Knicks defense man up against Denver was beautiful to watch compared to the crash test dummies on the Lakers like Reaves and Dlo. My thoughts were Bron deserves tuff BROTHERS like that !!!! 😂. Towns is actually better at guarding Joker than AD...that boy soft as toilet tissue. JJ Reddick first signs of crumbling starting to show falling for Reaves opportunist ways...that boy will buddy buddy up to anyone to benefit himself just like he did with Dlo who's now dying his hair blonde sitting on the bench 😂

[@nikeswagger8333]

Where is Quincy Olivari? He didn't play in South Bay Lakers Game yesterday.

[@deddiev1718]

Slightly sprained ankle I think

[@dreydog5000]

What is the point of dancing around the real problem. Specifically with Denver. Bron ain’t running out to defend Watson corner 3s. He ain’t chasing MPJ around screens. And he ain’t chasing AG up and down the baseline. He plays defense in space like a one man zone. Malone knows it and punish the Lakers for it.

[@newnormal9237]

STOP the lies and drama! Put a regular center not named Anthony Davis 90% of the season unless you're playing against Warriors. That's it! Because you two also are tolerating Pelinka and Jj to always play Davis as center and HATE to see Hayes always play alongside AD. TWIN TOWER ALL NIGHTS is a must!

[@forrestcitygroove]

need a w tonight go lakers

[@PerezJose-oq9rb]

This team is not going no where as long they have players that don’t give nothing Dlo game is off on the line up or off the bench vadenlit is taking forever literally another good center another defender but man something

[@MarkShaw-ji7gq]

I like Austin but he’s not a starter level point guard to me neither is DLO Austin is more of a great bench player

[@stanjohnson7849]

Have you actually been watching the games 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@deddiev1718]

AR is not a point guard. He rarely passes anyone not named Lebron the ball

[@randyshopher7146]

​@deddiev1718 that's why he isn't traded by the GM, LeBron James

[@MrExBearPoker]

They switch because they have to. Not because they always want to do it.

[@edgarbolden5742]

Lakers ain't going nowhere to figure out a way to get AD vs Jokic and other bigs in the league.

[@irabonta1874]

Abeg they should give Gabe mins to Bronny😅

[@newnormal9237]

You can't be physical by just talking😂😂😂 And coming it from Austin Reaves?😂😂😂 They talked a lot ABOUT OFFENSIVE REBOUNDING after 1st game of this season BUT WHAT HAPPENED NOW?

[@ursamajor2000]

Sounds like a gimmick to me. The current roster as constructed just doesn’t have it in them to play with physicality.

[@briancoveney3080]

Sure, the Lakers are just going to start playing “physically “ now.

[@nikeswagger8333]

The Lakers need to acquire resign and bring back Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso, Javel McGee two reunit with the Lakers to upgrade and strengthen and better this team to win a Championship

[@bimz2710]

Lebron is the leader of the team & if your leader dont show example particular on defense, so how could you expect your teammates to follow

[@bamboosho0t]

He's 40 effing years old. You're speaking about him as if he's 30. He can't play defense AND score AND rebound AND pass at 40 for 37 minutes a night for 82 games. If his team is cooking offensively, he can be more aggressive on defense. If they're struggling offensively, he had to use energy to score. If they play like they did in the 2nd half vs. Denver, where the team offensively and defensively struggled, he can't fix that at 40. At 30, yes! But not anymore. And neither could Michael Jordan at 40.

[@bimz2710]

@bamboosho0t yes agree but as the saying goes, the best offense is defense. Considering he cant play the way he used to then its time for him to hang his jersey coz it affected the team.

[@Andrew-pv8oz]

@@bimz2710he’s 40 😂😂😂😂 do you hear yourself

[@bamboosho0t]

@bimz2710 But did we say that about Michael Jordan at 39? Both MJ and LeBron had almost identical defensive rating ranks (71st and 73rd) at the same age. Why are we imploring LeBron to retire, yet that never happened with MJ? The problem is the Lakers have too many younger, 1-way players who can't play defense. The roster construction by Rob + injuries has led to this. So, naturally, instead of holding the younger players more accountable, we turn to LeBron to wind back the hands of time and hunt the best player every play. That shouldn't be his sole or majority responsibility at 39/40.

[@logicalbrother]

You talking like teams set picks to get a mismatch against LeBron like they do Reaves Dlo.Yeah LeBron older now but he still ain't fat and slow like Luka on defense 😂...that boy will never make a all defensive team like other greats

[@TonyMontanaMIYAYO]

ok yall got AD also known as “STREET CLOTHES” and a 40 year old and white boy Reaves and yall gonna get more physical??😂😂😂😂 the BAD BOY LAKERS

[@stanjohnson7849]

WTF get a 🧠 or go back to Boston 🙄

[@briancoveney3080]

The refs just blow you off the floor. The Lakers aren’t allowed to play defense.

[@nikeswagger8333]

Is Quincy Olivari performance and success too much advanced professional and matured for playing in the G League and because of jealousy and envious and haaaaaaaaaatttteeers don't want too see him shine for the Lakers.

[@reynaldopaz4008]

Lakers are unable to cope up with Nuggets’ defensive adjustments after half time. In game adjustments should improve.

[@nikeswagger8333]

A.D. is the Lakers leading scorer, rim protector-shot blocker and rebounder for this team. So who is the leader of this team?

[@stanjohnson7849]

Exactly 👍🏽

[@nikeswagger8333]

What is your opinion, assessment on LeBron Defense this yr

[@craigosterberg5045]

Go Lakers

[@thebounceph]

B.K. is absolutely right on pointing out that most of the Lakers' problems against Denver comes from personnel. Players and coaches are held accountable, when will the owners hold the front office accountable on these losses. AD can't guard Joker, Bron will be Bron but they have EG to minimize his impact, the only one player that can probably guard Murray & MPJ is injured. This team already reached its peak when they had a healthy Vando and Dennis. They basically are worst yet they are banking on JJ to improve this team.

[@aaronwimbish9382]

Hayes is NOT better than Koloko. Jj just don’t know him enough but he can do all the thing’s hornets new center can do provide length n rebounding

[@williampettis1831]

Whoever getting on a 40 year old man whose been on the NBA floor for 20 plus years at his position about defense has to be young and dumb he's not a center he's a wing i played ball until I was 47 and not at his level talk what u know young pup

[@deddiev1718]

Trade for Marcus Smart