Judging from the differences between the Lakers in the finals: body size, defense, game rhythm, lineup depth is lagging behind

Translator's note: The original text was published in SSR, and the data in the text were all as of the time of publication (June 11 local time), and the date involved has been converted. The views in the article have nothing to do with the translator and the platform. The NBA Finals are the highest-level basketball event, and so far, it has revealed how far the Los Angeles Lakers are and what changes need to be made this summer.

We have come to mid-June, when 28 teams are sitting at home watching the last two teams compete for Larry O'Brien Cup in the NBA Finals. The Lakers were even sent on a plane to vacation before May began, and they will usher in a long summer and reflect and compare.

No team is more suitable as a benchmark than the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder. These two teams with the best record since the New Year highlighted the Lakers’ significant shortcomings in lineup and style in their series, and the changes they need to make the most for next season.

It all starts with body shape. This is fully demonstrated by the playoffs and Lakers’ performance this season, but this is once again highlighted in the high-quality screening tactics of the Thunder’s field. Myers Turner, Chet Homgren and Isaiah Haltenstein are all real inside players who play a vital role in their respective teams.

They provide a response to complex defensive tactics and can relieve superstar guards when they face strong ball holders' defenses. The Thunder and Pacers will not only look for misalignment opportunities, but will also punish you with decisive decisions.

Please see below, Lou Dortmund was blocked by Turner's ball cover and was forced to switch defenses. Once the defense is changed, the positioning and back-to-body singles will be immediately followed.

Turner received an assist from Terrys Halliburton and scored a layup in the inside. Halliburton and Shay Gilgers Alexander, two superstar defenders, rely heavily on inside players as solid coverers to create opportunities for them on the offensive end.

These inside players not only help as ball-holding partners on the offensive end, but also play the role of a rim protector to make up for the mistakes of their outside teammates.

In contrast, the Lakers have only one inside player who can play when entering the playoffs, namely, the all-time threat Jaxon Hays. And once the team encounters any resistance, they immediately give up on him. The lack of inside players cost the Lakers the first round. As is generally accepted, the Lakers need a center this offseason, and the Finals only emphasize this further.

In the Lakers' series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, it is not only the lack of defense personnel, but also the ease of switching defenses to facilitate the opponent. This is in stark contrast to the two teams in the finals, who will do their best for every inch of space when there is a possible misalignment. The finals are full of aggressive wings and defenders that can be used against top ball-holders. Alex Caruso, Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nemhard are some of these examples, and they will try their best to keep up with their defensive targets. Please see below, Nemhard chased Alexander and refused to be blocked by Homgren's cover.

In the above round, Nemhard bypassed the screen and took a close look, and put a solid pressure on the opponent to pass the ball to Dortmund, who ended up missing the shot from the inside. Both teams are equipped with players with high athleticism lower limits around their star guards, and these players have excellent energy on the defensive end.

Due to the lack of foot-moving speed of the lineup and the lack of wing defensive vanguards who can match the opponent's best offensive player, the Lakers have difficulty in success in the outside defense.

As Max Christie left the team in a deal involving Doncic, head coach JJ Redick turned to Jordan Goodwin, a player who had just turned from a two-way contract, to contribute as a defensive wing. The finals have shown that the top teams will make a lot of investment in high-level defensive staff reserves.

In addition to excellent player configuration, these teams also play at an extremely fast pace. They keep moving the ball and finishing the attack. According to NBA tracking data, the Thunder and Pacers are two of the three fastest-paced teams in the playoffs, while the Lakers are second to last.

Please look at the following round. Even after the opponent's shot, the Pacers will quickly advance to the frontcourt and respond quickly.

In the above round, Halliburton quickly took the ball through half and found Nesmith in the corner with 16 seconds left in the offensive time, who hit a three-pointer. Both teams performed very well in the ball-holding push, leaving the defense with no time to gain a foothold.

And the Lakers did not start entering the tactics in many rounds until there were ten seconds left in offensive time. A team led by Doncic and LeBron James always plays in a methodical style. However, this approach can lead to a stagnation of the offense and easily predicted. Teams in the finals have proven that playing at a fast pace can be easier to create an advantage as position defense continues to improve and become more complex.

Finally, both teams have a deep lineup and a large number of rotation players. The Pacers have ten players in the Finals who averaged at least 9.8 minutes of playing time, while the Thunder have nine players over 8.8 minutes. Both the Pacers and Thunder coaches are very willing to try and experiment with different counterpoints, hoping to find an advantage anywhere you can find.

Players like Thomas Bryant and Isaiah Joe who do not fully meet the requirements of both offense and defense have also made their own contributions based on their specific abilities. The Lakers hope to find similar output from players like Dalton Kneckett, who were completely removed from the rotation in the playoffs and had no chance of performance.

The Lakers have won 50 games for the first time since the 2019-2020 season, and have introduced an epoch-making offensive player Doncic at the trade deadline. But despite this, the Finals have shown that the Lakers still have a long way to go to build and act like a team ready to compete at the highest level.