Lakers face nightmare scenario if defense doesn’t improve next year
Defense wins championships, right? As currently constructed, the Los Angeles Lakers better hope that is not the entire truth.
The Lakers will head into the new 2025-26 NBA season with a defense that projects to be rather underwhelming. Jovan Buha was not shy about sharing how challenging the present situation may look. The Lakers reporter delivered thoughts regarding the unit on a
Buha said, "Is the Lakers having a top defense sustainable? I will say no. ... For nearly 60 games of the season, the Lakers were a bottom 10 defense. Then, for 24 games, they were the best defense. They're closer to being a bottom 10 defense than the best defense."
The Lakers reporter believed the ceiling of this current group would fall somewhere between the 11th to 14th best unit on that end. Buha thought they would need another move to truly break into the top 10 best defenses in the NBA next season.
Lakers need a big upgrade before championship contention
The assessment here is more than fair. It also gives major credence to the recent rumors that have been circling around the Lakers.
Marc Stein was the first insider to come out and suggest Rob Pelinka and the front office are loosening their stance on being cautious and allowing themselves more aggression with
Both of those men suggested the goal for the Lakers was clear: add a two-way wing. The emphasis on the rumored target being one who can raise the ceiling of the team is important. In particular, that boost should come on the defensive end.
There should be little doubt that a team with Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves is going to be a great unit on offense. Anyone saying otherwise does not deserve to be taken seriously.
However, balance is key. The defensive aspect of the floor has continued to be integral to championship teams over this past decade.
In the last 10 NBA seasons, eight of the 10 champions that hoisted the Larry O'Brien at season's end had a top 10 defensive rating during the regular season. The lone exceptions were the 2023 Denver Nuggets and the 2018 Golden State Warriors.
In the case of the Warriors, they turned it on during the 2018 NBA Playoffs, catapulting themselves towards the top unit in the postseason. Likewise, the Nuggets had the fourth best defensive rating in the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
The Lakers need stoppers. Otherwise, they will be under threat of being unceremoniously carved up when it matters most.
Red Sox' intended backup catcher to Connor Wong listed as team's hidden gem this season
The Boston Red Sox came into this season with only one proven catcher in Connor Wong, and they had traded their top catching prospect in Kyle Teel for Garrett Crochet. Little did they know that they would have a hidden talent in a rookie they picked up off their rival.
According to Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller, the Sox’ hidden gem is their catcher Carlos Narváez, who has had a breakout rookie season and is arguably one of the best catchers in the MLB.
“[Narváez] was never supposed to be Plan A at catcher for Boston. That was Connor Wong's job. Even Plan B was up in the air heading into spring training, with Narváez battling Blake Sabol and Seby Zavala to become the primary backup. He won that competition, though, and unexpectedly became Plan A when Wong landed on the IL less than two weeks into the campaign. But it was when Wong returned in early May that Narváez really began to shine, triple-slashing .346/.443/.538 over his next 32 games played, becoming Boston's primary clean-up hitter,” Miller wrote.
While Narváez has cooled down offensively since then, he’s still a defensive menace. He’s slashing .250/.321/.426/.747 with 13 home runs. He’s also a menace behind the plate, with nine outs above average, which is the best in the American League, and only two behind the best in the MLB.
Narváez has truly been a great replacement after losing Teel, who’s gone on to tear it up for the Chicago White Sox. However, it was worth getting Crochet, and Narváez has been a great catcher, and looks like he’ll be around for a while.
