Lakers’ Five-Game Win Streak Is Blueprint To Win Championship

Despite cancelling the Mark Williams trade, the top-5 offense and defense Redick has the Lakers playing without AD during this 5-game win streak is a blueprint not only to survive but to thrive and still win a championship.

While the everybody online was worrying whether Luka would fit with LeBron and what L.A. would do now that Mark Williams failed his physical, JJ Redick suddenly has the Lakers playing championship level basketball. Right now, the Lakers have won 5 in a row and are playing their best basketball of the season, displaying legitimate top-5 NBA offense and defense, without AD and just Jaxson Hayes and a duo of two-way centers.

Frankly, the Lakers have played so well at both ends during this 5-game stretch that not having to integrate a new center in Williams at the same time as a new superstar in Doncic could be end up being a positive move.
One of the strengths of the current roster and reasons why the Lakers are playing so well right now is their roster continuity. Trading Knecht for Williams was a trade specifically designed to retain the current rotation.

What’s clear from the way the Lakers are playing right now is JJ Redick is coming into his own as an elite head coach. To a man, this team has bought into how JJ wants them to play and the results have been sensational.
After the loss to the Nets where AD was injured, the Lakers suddenly like an entirely different team. They’re sharing the ball and raining threes on offense and doubling, challenging, and rotating on a string on defense.

What’s behind the Lakers’ sudden elite performance over the last 5 games? Offensively, they’ve suddenly starting to share the ball like JJ wants and were #1 in field goal percentage and 3-point percentage the last 5 games.
Defensively, the Lakers without AD are playing like a legitimate top-5 team. They’re doubling and trapping pick-and-rolls and and rotating like a team on a string. #1 in opponent field goal and 3-point percentage last 5 games.

The Lakers’ 5-game win streak is the perfect blueprint for how the Lakers win the NBA championship: Offensively, post highest field goal and 3-point percentages. Defensively, post lowest field goal and 3-point percentages.