Two preseason games produced two very different outcomes for the Lakers.
LA routed the Sacramento Kings on the first night of a back-to-back, with superstar Luka Dončić playing just one half. On the second night, LA rested as many players as possible and found itself on the wrong side of a lopsided affair.
Walker Kessler, Austin Reaves, Collin Sexton and Arthur Kaluma were the only players not to suit up in either contest. Even so, we got our first taste of the identity head coach JJ Redick is looking
to instill.
Throughout training camp, nearly every player emphasized the team’s commitment to a more aggressive defensive approach. Redick noted at media day that the new roster gives him the personnel to apply consistent defensive pressure in ways he couldn’t a season ago.
All teams talk big during the lead-up to preseason games, but it’s now time to walk the walk.
For the Lakers, that starts with more than just having capable defenders. It requires a team-wide commitment to pressuring the ball for all 94 feet. They wasted no time putting that into play.
The two standouts of practice have been new additions Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams. From the opening tip, watch below as Williams immediately gets chest to chest with Sacramento’s primary ball handler, new lottery pick Darius Acuff Jr.
The Kings move the ball around, with the Lakers switching and chasing over screens depending on the ball handler. The possession ends with a shot-clock violation. On the next defensive possession, Williams gets a deflection and Thybulle collects the steal.
Thybulle, who ranked fourth in the league in steals per 36 minutes, was a ball hawk anytime a ball handler entered his vicinity. Whether poking balls away from behind or using his elite anticipation to jump strong-side passes, he left his fingerprints all over the game.
LA’s best defensive wings started together and fueled a 73-47 halftime lead. They weren’t the only ones, as the purple and gold weaponized a host of wings against Sacramento.
Watch below as new addition Quentin Grimes picks up full court, using his defensive stance and hounding ability to force a difficult handoff and eventually a backcourt violation.
Adou Thiero, Cameron Carr and Bronny James were also among the others who took turns pressuring 94 feet. A strong defense doesn’t end once the ball crosses half court. This style requires defenders to stay feisty and connected for the entire possession.
A younger roster also means a faster one, with LA looking to speed up offenses and force mistakes. Without their starting big man, LA leaned heavily on Sandro Mamukelashvili at the five.
Those lineups will likely switch one through five while mixing in quick, aggressive traps. Having so many athletic wings on the floor lets different defenders cover multiple positions and areas on the court.
In the clip below, Bronny faces a mismatch in the post. Watch the rotations unfold as Mamu comes over to double, Jake LaRavia tags the post, and Thiero, defending two on the weak side, uses his athleticism to jump the passing lane and come away with the steal.
This defense is susceptible to giving up a high volume of straight-line drives, as Acuff Jr. and Zach LaVine finished at the rim on multiple occasions in the first game. Without Thybulle or Williams, the defense completely fell apart against the Warriors.
That’s where Kessler becomes invaluable.
The entire defensive philosophy is predicated on high-level point-of-attack pressure, with Kessler serving as the anchor behind it. His elite shot-blocking not only gives the Lakers perimeter defenders more freedom to pressure the ball, but it also deters initial drives.
While Looney is stylistically similar, the gap between the two as rim protectors is canyon-sized.
Even without seeing Kessler suit up, it’s clear the Lakes have shifted from a reactionary defensive approach to a more proactive one. That’s been the entire message throughout camp, with Redick even mentioning they’ve installed just one set during its final practice before preseason play began.
The new additions, headlined by Kessler, were signed to change the fortunes of a defense that finished in the bottom ten a season ago.
Two preseason games won’t reveal whether this approach will work, but they’ve given a glimpse of Redick wants them to become.
You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu
