Los Angeles Lakers plan to be defensive minded team
By Bryan Rose
Outside of Kobe Bryant, you don’t look at the Los Angeles Lakers roster and see much in terms of individual defenders.
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Even Bryant, at his progressed age, is not what he once was on the defensive end of the court, so it seems rather suspect to believe the Los Angeles Lakers will build themselves upon defense this season. However, that’s exactly what head coach Byron Scott plans to do.
Scott spoke with Bryant once he was named head coach of the franchise and the two agreed that defense was going to be the key to success for the Los Angeles Lakers this season.
“His (Kobe’s) first words to me were, ‘We gotta play defense.’ And it just brought a smile on my face because that’s exactly what we have to do. It’s gotta be defending first and if we can rebound that ball second, then we can get up and down the floor.”
Scott said he’s been in constant communication with the entire roster, mostly via text message and that everybody is on board. Scott also noted that he’s heard there is some worry regarding his overly intense training camp rituals which ‘make him smilie’ on the inside.
Winning games no doubt starts on the defensive side of the ball so it’s not exactly shocking that the Los Angeles Lakers are going to preach such this season. Of course, being effective on the defensive end is a completely different story, especially with a roster built around offensively minded talent.