LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers appear to be spiraling with no clear end in sight. Their 106–128 loss to Detroit on Tuesday marked their fourth straight defeat. That skid dropped Los Angeles to fifth in the West with a 22–11 record. The Western Conference remains top-heavy. During this slide, a DeAndre Ayton problem has emerged and the Lakers could sink under its weight.
The Lakers Have A Quiet DeAndre Ayton Problem That’s Getting Louder
A Defense Sliding Into the Abyss
The Lakers have well-known defensive issues. Their slide from a middling unit into a bottom-five mess has coincided with a tougher schedule and LeBron James’ return. Their defense has become a tale of two halves. They defend the paint at a solid rate, ranking 13th league-wide. Ayton’s effort has driven that success.
Their perimeter defense has collapsed. Opponents are shooting threes at the second-best rate in the league against them. That gap explains the larger issue. The Lakers now sit among the league’s worst defenses. Entering the season, the roster lacked elite defensive talent. That reality has revealed itself over time.
A Big Team That Cannot Rebound?
This is a troubling problem that needs nuance. The Lakers are a big team by NBA standards. That size has not translated to rebounding dominance. They rank 27th in total rebounds. Once again, the numbers tell two stories.
Los Angeles ranks bottom five in defensive rebounds per game. The raw totals mislead, however. Defensive rebounding has actually been a relative strength. The Lakers rank 11th in defensive rebounding rate. Their porous defense and slow pace, ranked 23rd, limit rebounding chances. When opportunities arise, they secure boards at a respectable clip.
Offensive rebounding presents a different issue. The Lakers rank near the bottom five in offensive rebounds. Their rate offers little relief, placing 18th. The league now prioritizes extra possessions through offensive rebounding. Los Angeles instead values shot quality over volume. That approach explains their second-ranked true shooting percentage.
The Lakers miss fewer shots. Their slow pace concentrates possessions around primary creators. Fewer possessions lead to fewer rushed attempts. The offense relies on half-court sets, post mismatches, and deliberate pick-and-rolls. The Lakers also sacrifice offensive rebounds for floor balance. They often send only one player to the glass. That role initially belonged to Ayton and now includes Jarred Vanderbilt. Others retreat to stop transition chances. This approach suppresses offensive rebounding but protects defensive structure. It is a strategic trade-off. Ayton’s 2.7 offensive rebounds per game underline how much this system depends on him
The Lakers Have A DeAndre Ayton Dependency Problem
The Lakers rely too heavily on Ayton. He has played the second-most games on the roster. An injury, even a minor one, could derail the season. Losing Ayton for weeks would push the Lakers into freefall. Jaxson Hayes does not provide reliable coverage behind him. The team needs a more dependable backup big. Brooklyn’s Day’Ron Sharpe represents an available upgrade. He would solve this problem immediately.
Credit: © Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images