The Los Angeles Lakers have been pretty bad on defense this year. The 112.4 points per 100 possessions that they’re allowing ranks just 23rd in the NBA after a pleasantly surprising showing in 2017-18, where they ranked 12th (107.2 defensive rating) with a mix of spirited youth and attentive veterans.
JaVale McGee is the only new arrival who’s done more good than harm, leading the NBA with 3.25 blocks in just 28.3 minutes per game. Blocks and steals are not necessarily indicative of quality defense, and McGee certainly has holes in his game on that end, but his ability to erase mistakes has been vital to an otherwise undersized team that’s vulnerable at the point of attack.