Luke Walton Says 80 Percent Of Lakers First Practice Was About Defense

Corey Hansford
2 Min Read


While much of the focus about what changes new head coach Luke Walton will bring to the Los Angeles Lakers has been on the offensive side, it is the other end of the floor that must improve dramatically for the team to really improve.

The Lakers were either at or near the bottom of the NBA in every major defensive statistic last season, and that is unacceptable. With the Lakers officially starting training camp after getting their first practice under their belts, Walton is focused on changing that.

According to Chris McGee of Spectrum SportsNet, Walton said that 80 percent of the Lakers first practice was about defense:

This is smart by Walton and crucial in establishing what he wants to do. For the Lakers to be able to get out and push the pace, they must get stops on the defensive end, something they couldn’t do last season.

The need to improve is not lost on the players either as guys such as D’Angelo Russell and Larry Nance Jr. constantly mentioned defense as something they had worked to improve in the off-season. Jordan Clarkson also spoke about having to take a big step as far as his defensive performance goes.

The teams who rank high in most defensive metrics tend to be the best teams in the league. While many focused on the offensive exploits of the Golden State Warriors these past few years, it was their team defense that allowed them to make the leap they did.

The Lakers understand that, and Walton is putting an emphasis on making sure there are significant improvements on that side of the floor. Hopefully, the Lakers will apply this to the court once the games get underway.

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.