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The LA Lakers could not defend their title successfully in the 2020-21 NBA season. However, after their season was thoroughly derailed by long-term injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, there are some positives to take from the past campaign.
Frank Vogel's team did look dominant when James and Davis looked fit enough to be on the court, mainly right at the start of the season.
Game by game, the LA Lakers were at the top of the Western Conference or close to it early on during the 2020-21 NBA season. But when Davis and James fell with injuries, the team struggled to be consistent and ultimately finished seventh in the West with a 42-30 record.
A Play-In berth saw them compete against the Golden State Warriors to advance to the first round of the NBA Playoffs. James took care of business and the LA Lakers went through. Unfortunately for them, Davis suffered another injury in Game 4 of the first round and they eventually lost in six games against the Phoenix Suns.
Top 3 defenders for the LA Lakers during the 2020-21 NBA season
Among the positives for Vogel's LA Lakers was the effort on the defensive end, with and without their NBA superstars. Alex Caruso, Dennis Schroder and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope really stepped up in the absence of the LA Lakers' dynamic duo.
Although James and Davis missed more than 25 games each, the LA Lakers finished the regular season at the top of the league in Defensive Rating with 107.1 points allowed per 100 possessions. While that is a testament to Vogel's defensive mindset (which he has already shown with the Indiana Pacers), it is also proof that the Lakers have some solid defenders in the squad.
In this article, we will take a look at the Top 3 defensive players on the LA Lakers' roster during the 2020-21 NBA season.
Without further ado, let us start.
#3 Anthony Davis
Perhaps the only reason why Anthony Davis is not at the top of this list is due to the injuries he sustained throughout the 2020-21 NBA season. Davis missed half of the regular season with an aggravated tendinosis in his right Achilles and a calf strain.
However, Davis continued to be a great defender when he was on the court and his versatility on defense is simply a great asset for Frank Vogel's team.
Despite missing out on several games through injury, Davis still led the team in Defensive Rating with 104. Even though he did not qualify to be among the league leaders in that statistic, his influence defensively was big for the LA Lakers whenever he was on the court.
AD even finished fourth in the team in Defensive Win Shares and fourth in Defensive Box Plus/Minus. Moreover, he led the team in both steals and blocks per game.
#2 LeBron James
Another player who unfortunately missed a lot of regular-season games for the LA Lakers, LeBron James' displays for the team were not only missed on the offensive end but in defense as well.
"The King," at age 36, is an essential player on the LA Lakers' defense, even if he is not always guarding the opposition's best scorer. James registered a Defensive Rating of 106.1 and finished fourth in the entire NBA in that regard.
He was third on the team in Defensive Win Shares, third in Defensive Box Plus/Minus and was 15th in the NBA in Defensive Box Plus/Minus.
#1 Alex Caruso
To follow what LA Lakers' coach Frank Vogel said about Alex Caruso, he should've been heavily considered for an All-Defensive selection.
The LA Lakers' high-energy guard was definitely a huge spark for the team's defense throughout the entire 2020-21 NBA season. Caruso was often the head of the LA Lakers' defensive gameplan, providing pressure on the rival's backcourt and not giving up on any play.
Although he did not qualify for the league leaders in terms of Defensive Rating, Caruso matched LeBron James' team-best performance in that regard, with a 106 Defensive Rating in the regular season.
He was second-best on the LA Lakers' roster in Defensive Box Plus/Minus. He was still rewarded in terms of all-defensive votes, as he was the most voted player on the LA Lakers roster.
The LA Lakers face a big decision this offseason with Caruso as he is an unrestricted free agent and will definitely have many teams looking at him as a nice addition.
Guess the Lakers players!
