Luka Doncic said on Mar. 11 that he was encouraged by the Los Angeles Lakers’ defensive performance after their 120-106 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers held the Timberwolves, one of the league’s top scoring teams, to just 68 points through three quarters and limited them to 25 percent shooting from three-point range.
The topic is important as it addresses ongoing questions about whether a team built around offensive stars like Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James can also play championship-level defense. Recent games suggest the Lakers are improving defensively, which could impact their playoff prospects.
Doncic praised his teammates for their collective effort on defense. “It was very encouraging and very special to play this game,” Luka said. “I think everybody that stepped on the court did an amazing job. Everybody fought til the end and that’s how we got this win… I think [the Lakers’ energy & effort] was collective. Obviously Smart is our leader in that and did a great job. I think DA today was amazing for us. Outside of that I think we collectively did it all. And obviously they push us too and I think we did an amazing job today.”
A key part of the Lakers’ defensive success came against Anthony Edwards, who is currently the NBA’s second-leading scorer but managed only 14 points on 2-of-15 shooting in this game—less than half his season average. Doncic said, “A lot,” when asked what it takes to contain Edwards. “Obviously it starts with Smart he was starting on him, but for guys like that you need the whole team to stop him it’s not just one guy, so I think we did a great job. Like I said obviously it started with Smart, but a lot of times it’s tough to stop players like that and we did a great job today.”
Doncic also pointed out improved communication as a reason for recent defensive improvements: “Probably just effort and communication,” he added. “I think communication is very important on the defensive end. I think we’re talking to each other a lot so that helps everybody to get to their spots on the defensive end.”
Head coach JJ Redick also praised center Deandre Ayton for his performance against Minnesota, calling it ‘fantastic.’ As the Lakers continue to improve defensively while maintaining strong offense from stars like Doncic, Reaves, and James, observers will be watching closely to see if this trend continues into the playoffs.
