Byron Scott Says Lakers Are ‘Still A Way Away’ Defensively

Corey Hansford
2 Min Read


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Since he was announced as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, Byron Scott has preached over and over that the Lakers would play defense. It is the calling card of Scott and he has spent much of the preseason getting the Lakers ready on that end.

The Lakers finally took the floor for their first preseason game, a 98-95 victory over the Denver Nuggets. After the victory Scott said that the team was still nowhere near where he wanted to be on the defensive end according to our own Serena Winters:

The Lakers as a whole looked far more focused on defense and the effort was there, but there were still some noticeable issues that the Lakers will need to solve.

Containing penetration especially from the point guard position where Steve Nash was blown by on numerous occasions. Scott also mentioned rebounding, as the Lakers allowed the Nuggets to collect 13 offensive rebounds which is far more than they would like to see regularly.

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There were some bright spots as the effort on that end was far different than previous years resulting in plenty of steals and deflections. New Laker Ed Davis also showed some rim protection ability, blocking four shots.

The Lakers may still be far away from where Scott wants them to be, but it is evident that the foundation has been laid down for some serious defensive improvement.

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Corey Hansford is the Senior Editor for Lakers Nation, as well as a contributor for Dodger Blue, Rams News Wire, and Raiders News Wire. He is a passionate follower of the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chelsea FC, and the UFC. He can usually be seen arguing the merits of Kobe Bryant or cursing the decisions of Jerry Jones. He is also a former producer and associate producer for Sirius XM Sports Radio on both the Fantasy Sports Channel and College Sports Nation. Proud graduate of Long Beach Poly High School and The Real HU, Howard University, with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. Follow him on all social media outlets at @TheeCoreyH.
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