For the last two seasons, the Los Angeles Lakers have finished the year with a top-three NBA defense, finishing first last season and third in 2020. Within that context, to call their production on that end to start the 2021-22 season a dumpster fire thus far is an unnecessary slight to dumpster fires.
No one should be surprised that this team took a step back defensively this year after overhauling almost the entire roster over the offseason and swapping out a cadre of versatile defenders for more gifted offensive players. But just how far the team has fallen has been almost staggering.