Part 7/9:
While questions surrounding the Lakers' defense remained following Dončić's acquisition, recent games have sparked intrigue. The Lakers displayed a solid defensive strategy against one of the league's best offenses, effectively limiting Nikola Jokić's impact by aggressively collapsing the paint and making it difficult for him to find his rhythm.
Versatile players such as Dorian Finney-Smith and others provided energy and size that complicated life for opposing stars. The undeniable improvement in team defense can bring a new layer of complexity to their championship aspirations.