LOS ANGELES – After a disappointing loss against the Denver Nuggets, the Los Angeles Lakers got back on track with a 1128-117 win against the Indiana Pacers on Friday. Luka Doncic led the Lakers with a game-high 44 points, but it wasn't their offense that he wanted to talk about following the game.
Throughout the season, the media and fans alike have talked about Luka Doncic's offensive game, but there has been very little mention of his defensive impact for the Lakers. So much so that it has actually become an underestimated part of his skill-set.
"I know people will never talk about it. Just trying to do my job," Doncic said during his postgame press conference. "Trying to be more offensive, trying to be more engaged. Just trying to be better defensively."
Doncic's defense was certainly on display during the Lakers' win against the Pacers. He finished with two blocked shots and three steals, including an impressive block where he hit Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith who thought he could get an easy look at the basket. The block immediately caused the Lakers' fast break.
Doncic carries a huge offensive load for the Lakers, and he is very explosive when it comes to scoring the basketball. Perhaps that's why it's easy to overlook his defensive impact. But the numbers don't lie. When it comes to regular rotation players, Doncic is second only to Jared Vanderbilt in defensive rating at 114.4, according to StatMuse.
Vanderbilt is easily one of the Lakers' top defenders; You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who disagrees. But Doncic also deserves some credit for his role on the defensive end. And for head coach JJ Redick, it's not just getting stops or steals or blocks that measures Doncic's impact.
"I think he's had really good stretches, and then sustainable stretches leading up to the game," Redick said during his pregame press conference. "And then it seems like occasionally there's a play where the engagement and effort isn't there. There are times within the game where maybe one or two possessions happen. But I would say across the board, on our team, outside of maybe Marcus Smart, that's the situation for our guys on that end of the field."
"We have the numbers. When he switches on the ball, it's the fewest of any player on our perimeter in terms of points per possession. So I think he's done a good job. He's shown he can control the basketball," Redick continued. "He's obviously one of the best wing defensive rebounders in the NBA. He's able to generate steals and deflections. With some provocation, also taking charges. So he's doing a lot of good things defensively."
On the season, Doncic has appeared in 51 games, a little over 35 minutes per game. He is averaging a league-leading 32.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.5 steals while splitting 47.5 percent shooting from the field, 36.2 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 77.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
