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Lakers Loss to Spurs Reinforces LA’s Need for Help Down Low

Publish Date: 01/16/2025
Fact checked by: Sara Jane Gamelli

The Lakers returned to the court for the first time in a few days following the destructive fires in Southern California. While many hoped they would come back with a vengeance, they fell flat in more ways than one. Most notably, in their ability to protect the rim.

The team continued what has been a pretty mediocre streak as of late in a sloppy 126-102 loss to the Spurs in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. Though the game started out well for Los Angeles, it quickly shifted when they were outscored 73-40 in what became a blowout for the visiting team.

(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

The game wasn’t just another tough defeat for the Lakers, it was a display of everything they’ve been struggling with over the last month.

They have a lot of talent at the top of their roster, but they can’t find a system that works. They’re struggling to score, can’t find ways to finish games and, most importantly, are not able to match up physically in a very physical league.

A Tale of Two Halves

After finding themselves down nine at the end of the first half, the Spurs made one quick change after coming out of the locker room: they began to attack the basket. While Anthony Davis does a great job at protecting the rim, there’s only so much he can do when he’s moving all over the court.

The Spurs exposed the Lakers 24th ranked defense by getting the big man to do exactly that. They constantly switched Davis out of position and pulled him away from the rim. Once he moved, it was easy for their scorers to attack the rim and bully the Lakers right out of the game.

San Antonio outscored Los Angeles 66-40 in the paint, which is surprising due to the fact that the Lakers have leaned on Davis and LeBron James as defensive anchors over the past few seasons. In fact, the team has outscored opponents down low in four of Davis’ five years with the team. That’s not the case this year.

Losing that part of their identity is one of the big reasons for the Lakers’ recent struggles. They rely on dominating down low to control and take over a game. Without that part of their plan, they simply crumble, as was the case against the Spurs.

The Need to Get Big

The Lakers are currently a team without an identity, which is incredibly concerning for a squad who hopes to be in the playoff picture come May. They can certainly win games, but lacking a strong inside presence is becoming more and more noticeable with each loss.

On paper, they played against San Antonio just as they always have. James had a big night, netting 18 points, five rebounds, eight assists, and one steal on 7/11 shooting, while Davis had 30 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 assists.

Still, those statistics are meaningless if the team can’t get a stop. The Spurs slowly bled them out during the second half, beating them one close basket at a time. That’s a proven formula to beat LA, and it’s something they need to fix as soon as they can.

Disappointing Numbers, Inside and Out

Los Angeles allows the third most points in the paint per game this season, and have been outscored down low by an average of three points a contest. Davis is doing what he can on that front, but the big man has very little help.

The Lakers just don’t have a lot of size outside of their two stars. Their guards are talented, but that talent typically comes at the cost of size. That’s especially evident by the Lakers rebound struggles. The team is 25th in rebounding rate, and are well below league average even with Davis on the court. They are 28th in paint defense as well.

Those numbers simply don’t add up to wins, especially for a team who’s also struggling to score beyond the arc. They are 28th in 3-point attempts this year and 20th in three point percentage. In today’s NBA you need to be good at something, but LA is mediocre everywhere right now.

Bringing in Reinforcements

Looking at the above data, it’s clear the Lakers need more size. They’ve never had issues bringing in big names, and one of the current frontrunners given the recent San Antonio loss is Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas.

While he’s another aging player, the big man is a solid body, great defender, and having a great year on a team that’s going nowhere. His power is exactly what the Lakers need, and could be a huge help for both bigs.

Not only that, but he’s right in LA’s budget. The team does not have a lot of free money or draft capital, but they can move some pieces around if needed. Current reports state the Wizards would move him for two second round picks. If the Lakers are still serious about this season, they won’t hesitate to pay that price.

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