The OKC Thunder are threatening to lead the West from wire to wire this season. They have staved off the surging San Antonio Spurs and the Denver Nuggets for conference domination, but a new threat has seemingly emerged out of nowhere in the most terrifying way.
The Los Angeles Lakers are 13-1 in their last 14 games and have elevated themselves to the three seed in the conference standings. Superstar Luka Doncic has reached superhuman heights in the scoring department, but his offense might not even be the reason for LA's recent dominance.
While the Lakers have risen from outside the top-10 to eighth in offensive rating due to their recent surge, their greatest strides have been on defense.
From opening night through February 27th, they ranked 24th in defensive rating. From February 28th to Saturday, they rank eighth.
Elite Lakers defense is something no one expected
Heading into the season, the last thing anyone expected was an effective Lakers defense. Los Angeles finished 17th in defensive rating last season, and many questioned whether pairing a slower, offensive-minded Luka with an aging LeBron James was a recipe for success.
The Lakers answered these questions by adding Deandre Ayton, who, up to that point in his career, had failed to prove doubters wrong about his effort level and commitment to the game.
Add in Austin Reaves, who has never been known for his defense, and the Lakers had seemingly assembled a starting unit that was destined for nightly shootouts.
Fast forward to Saturday's efforts, and the Lakers have all but silenced their critics.
Led by role players Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, and Jake LaRavia, Los Angeles has established itself as a team capable of winning on both sides of the ball.
Luka Doncic plus defenders will bring back nightmares for Thunder fans
A Luka-led playoff team that can also defend might be the last thing Thunder fans want to see in the playoffs, as it might bring back memories of the superstar during his days with the Mavs, when they sent OKC home in the 2024 Western Conference Semifinals.
Doncic appears to be playing at an unstoppable level. He is getting to the free-throw line at rates that make Shai Gilgeous-Alexander jealous, he is shooting lights-out from the perimeter, and he is registering 2.1 steals per game in March as an added bonus.
LA is shaping up to be a formidable threat to OKC's title hopes.
Offensively, they match up with anyone in the league, and now they are committing to excellence on the defensive end. What was once their Achilles heel is now an advantage.
The Thunder will see coach J.J. Reddick's squad one more time before the postseason, and the game could serve as a measuring stick to see how far Los Angeles has truly come.