The Los Angeles Lakers face elimination in their first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, trailing 3-1. While Luka Doncic led his team with 38 points in Game 4, his defensive performance has drawn significant criticism.
Following the Lakers’ 116-113 loss, basketball insider Zach Lowe strongly criticized Doncic’s defensive effort. “Why do you have to get humiliated at the beginning of every playoff series before you show the world you can actually put a little more effort on defense?” Lowe questioned.
Luka Doncic’s Defensive Effort Humiliating Los Angeles Lakers
He further elaborated, stating, “If you go back and watch Games 1 and 2 of that Phoenix series (2024), he is so bad defensively that it is laughable. And then all of a sudden, he becomes passable. Yet again, here we are. We are four games into this series, and he’s just helpless.” Lowe expressed frustration with Doncic’s perceived tendency to only exert defensive effort when his team’s situation becomes dire. “I’m just tired of like, I’m just going to be embarrassed until our backs are against the wall, and then I am going to show you, yeah, I can put up a little bit of a fight.”
In Game 4, Doncic’s offensive output (38 points on 13-for-28 shooting) was undeniable. However, he struggled defensively, frequently being beaten by Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels. This pattern of inconsistent defensive effort is not a new observation for the All-Star guard.
The article also briefly touches on the fictional trade that sent Doncic to the Lakers. The original article states, “The Dallas Mavericks made the shocking decision to trade Doncic to the Lakers for Anthony Davis.” Lowe called this hypothetical trade “crazy,” stating, “I wouldn’t have done the trade. Almost no one in the NBA would have done specifically this trade… the idea of getting out ahead of this is not a crazy idea. The idea of doing it without shopping him to get nine first-round draft picks and swaps… is where the logic falls apart. I still think it is a crazy trade.”
The article juxtaposes this with Anthony Davis’s defensive prowess, noting, “Davis’ calling card is on the defensive end. That rim protection he provided helped the Lakers capture an NBA Championship a couple of seasons ago. Los Angeles now has zero rim protection, nor can they rebound the basketball.” The Timberwolves’ 18 offensive rebounds in Game 4 are cited as evidence of the Lakers’ rebounding struggles. The article also notes the Lakers’ lack of depth, forcing head coach JJ Redick to play the same five players for the entire second half, which may have contributed to fatigue.
Ultimately, Lowe’s criticism centers on Doncic’s perceived lack of consistent defensive effort, a concern that has followed him throughout his career.