One of the greatest strengths of the Lakers’ 2019-20 team that won a title inside the bubble was how lethal they were in transition and on fast breaks. The team ranked sixth in the league in points per possession in transition, per Synergy, that season. Their efficiency only improved in the playoffs as they turned defensive stops into quick points on the other end.
Boiled down, it’s not a complex concept. Give LeBron James the ball in space going downhill with shooters around him and defenses will suffer. As was the case with seemingly everything about last season, injuries prevented the Lakers from replicating that formula last season, particularly in the postseason.