Will the Los Angeles Lakers be able to address their main flaw that became evident in their Game 3 defeat?

Remixing the Rim-Rattling Dilemma:

Lakers in a Pickle: Missing Center Pieces in Playoff Showdown

Minneapolis, MN – Phew, the cat's out of the bag! The Lakers have been sneakily shuffling their weakness for eons, but now, against teams with athleticism and size, the lack of a sturdy center has turned into a glaring issue.

In the latest showdown against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers fell short in Game 3, 116-104, and the absence of a reliable center may spell doom for their season.

Luka Doncic wasn't feeling peachy on Friday night, and his lackluster performance reflected that. However, the Lakers' complete inability to safeguard the rim was equally, if not more, detrimental.

Bogeying down Target Center, Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards made their way to the hoop like they were on the red carpet. And we all know what happens when a fashion show takes place on a basketball court!

McDaniels and Edwards took advantage of the Lakers' flimsy defense, launching 45 attempts within the paint, scoring a whopping 56 points. McDaniels netted 30 points, with 24 of them coming from within the paint, while Edwards wrapped up the game with a team-best 29 points and 8 assists.

JJ Redick, ever candid, acknowledged the team's shortcomings: "We simply don't have a center with proper rim protection. It's a no-brainer that if we see players dashing by us, we're gonna get torched."

Swapping the Free-throw lane for a red carpet sounds like a ploy straight from a comedy flick, but this unfortunate symmetry unfortunately underscores the Lakers' current predicament.

Lakers

When History Fails to Save: LeBron James' Brilliance Overpowered by Doncic's Struggles

LeBron James demonstrated phenomenal prowess with 38 points in Game 3, but Doncic's shaky performance as he battled illness didn't help the Lakers' cause.

The Lakers technically possess a center in Jaxson Hayes, but Redick clearly isn't keen on giving him ample playing time, as evident by Hayes' minimal minutes in each game of the series. Hayes' 9 minutes on Friday night were a particularly disastrous recipe, as his performance earned him a minus-13 plus/minus.

Hayes was the backup before the Lakers traded away Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic, so his role should remain the same, right? Wrong. Redick and team management seemed to be caught off guard, and they unfortunately missed their opportunity to snag talented center Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets.

Days before the trade deadline, the Lakers had a promising deal on the table. However, the team balked after conducting a physical examination, and the trade was benched. Although the specifics aren't available, perhaps the Lakers should have taken a gamble on Williams, who remained healthy for the remainder of the regular season.

Now, it's time for Redick to flex his coaching muscle and concoct a game plan that will turn the tide in the Lakers' favor, while also addressing the lingering issue of a reliable center.

When queried about potential strategies, Redick admitted that while the Lakers may be the physicality-challenged Gulliver to the Timberwolves' colossal Brobdingnag, he still remains optimistic:

"We've played with this group all season, and when we're locked in, we can be physically dominating. We just need to maintain intensity throughout our defense, deter blow-bys with our on-ball work, and shore up our rotations."

Dorian Finney-Smith enthusiastically echoed Redick's sentiments:

"It's about standing our ground, preventing blow-bys, and being urgent from the get-go. I assure you it's not only an issue of size, but rather a matter of on-base defense and rotations."

The Lakers boast powerhouse players such as Doncic, James, and a dangerous No. 3 option in Austin Reaves. They're defended by talented players like Finney-Smith and Jarred Vanderbilt. However, the deafening silence emanating from their center position could spell their downfall if they don't find an effective solution soon.

Further Reading

Opinion: Plaschke: Lakers found grit at the right time and silenced critics
Lakers secure a grueling Game 2 victory to tie the series with the Timberwolves
Lakers ooze confidence, aim to win games on the small stuff to turn series around vs. Minnesota

The Los Angeles Lakers are facing a significant issue in the NBA playoffs, with their lack of a reliable center, particularly in terms of rim protection, becoming glaring against athletic and sizeable teams.
In the Game 3 showdown against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers' inadequate defense, especially within the paint, was just as detrimental as Luka Doncic's subpar performance due to illness.
Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards exploited the Lakers' weak defense in Game 3, launching 45 attempts within the paint, scoring a combined 56 points.
JJ Redick, the Lakers' coach, acknowledged the team's lack of a center with proper rim protection, stating that it's a no-brainer that if they can't prevent players from dashing past them, they'll get burned.
The Lakers once had center Jaxson Hayes, but he hasn't been given ample playing time, with his minimal minutes in the series and a poor performance in Game 3 earning him a minus-13 plus/minus.
The Lakers missed an opportunity to acquire talented center Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets before the trade deadline, potentially due to concerns about his health.
With the Lakers' center position remaining a concern, coach JJ Redick now needs to devise a strategy to turn the tide in their favor, focusing on maintaining intensity throughout defense, preventing blow-bys, and improving rotations.