The Los Angeles Lakers were humbled 111-89 by the Boston Celtics at the Crypto.com Arena on Sunday. It was yet another series of defensive lapses that cost the side a win against their longtime rivals.
Defense has been an issue for the Lakers this season. With the team blowing hot and cold in their efforts, their woes on that end of the court have become a talking point, raising questions about their ceiling as the playoffs loom.
Former Laker Carmelo Anthony Gets Candid About the Purple and Gold’s Ceiling
Speaking during the Celtics vs. Lakers skirmish, former Laker Carmelo Anthony weighed in on the team’s chances in the playoffs this season. “We’re talking about the Lakers’ ceiling. To me, they have a shot at a legit Western Conference Finals run,” Anthony said.
“When you talk about their firepower, star power wins games in the playoffs. Now it’s about their defense. Can they become an above-average defensive team? If they can do that with the Big 3 and their offensive power, which they have, and the way they close games in clutch situations, it’s very special. To me, the ceiling is a Western Conference Finals.”
Anthony’s comments come on the back of former Celtic and now-ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins’ blunt take. Earlier, Perkins called the Lakers a possibility to make it to the second round of the playoffs at best, while criticizing their defense.
While Anthony didn’t adopt the same tone as Perkins, his note on the Lakers’ defense aligns with the opinions of fans and analysts who have followed LA’s season. The side has been impressive on offense, but a chunk of their 22 losses can be attributed to paltry defense.
It doesn’t help that the Lakers don’t have a strong defensive presence on that side of the ball. The absence of elite wing defenders and of personnel who can play point-of-attack defense leaves them vulnerable.
At the time of writing, the Lakers are primed to make the playoffs, most likely as the fifth seed. With 34 wins, they are tied with the fourth-seeded Houston Rockets for the same number of wins.
Up next, they host Eastern Conference playoff hopefuls, the Orlando Magic, on Tuesday (Feb. 24). They hit the road after taking on the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors. It remains to be seen if the Lakers can shore up their efforts on the defensive end as their regular season inches to a close.
