Luka Doncic gave a boost to the Los Angeles Lakers as soon as he set foot on the court with the purple and gold. Once the initial shock of his blockbuster trade from the Dallas Mavericks passed, the star guard settled in exceptionally with his new teammates and led the team to 11 wins in 16 games.
The Lakers’ level of performance has drawn a lot of attention, and Luka credits their recent success to a simple factor: communication on the defensive end.
Contrary to what many thought when he arrived on the team, the Lakers have excelled on defense.
Credit: Kirby Lee – Imagn Images
“I think everybody’s connected on the defensive end,” Doncic said, per Lakers Nation. “There’s a lot of talk, a lot of communication, and then on the effort side everybody’s doing a good job.”
Luka Doncic believes the #Lakers are ‘connected’ on defense, which has led to success.https://t.co/Fq7uJ0Emeb
— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) March 22, 2025
Since Doncic made his Lakers debut on Feb. 10 until his most recent game on March 19, the team has posted the third-best defensive rating in the league (109.9), only trailing the Detroit Pistons (106.4) and Golden State Warriors (107.4), respectively.
Despite losing one of the best rim protectors in the league, Anthony Davis, the Lakers have allowed the fifth-fewest points in the paint (46.0). Additionally, they have posted the third-best defended field goals made (38.8) and the second in percentage (44%).
Doncic hasn’t been known for being the most dedicated defender, but he’s put in more effort on that side of the ball. J.J. Redick is coaching a solid defensive team that could make things difficult for opponents even without Davis’ presence.