Lakers guard Luka Doncic knocks the ball out of the hands of Timberwolves forward Julius Randle at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday. But the quiet force behind the Lakers’ recent surge is the team’s defensive improvement. The Lakers were 23rd in defensive rating before the All-Star break, giving up 116.6 points per 100 possessions. They’ve jumped to 12th during the past 15 games with a defensive rating of 112.3. “I couldn’t tell you why [the defense has improved], but it’s a good time to do it, that’s for sure.

Source: Los Angeles Times March 12, 2026 12:48 UTC