5 Reasons to watch Golden State Warriors versus Los Angeles Lakers

By Tony Pesta | Dec 25, 2018

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 10: LeBron James #23 and Lance Stephenson #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrate after James made a shot against the Golden State Warriors and was fouled during their preseason game at T-Mobile Arena on October 10, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Lakers defeated the Warriors 123-113. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

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Golden State Warriors Los Angeles Lakers (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

3. Defense

The Los Angeles Lakers have taken pride in their ability to defend opposing teams. Great perimeter defense from Lonzo Ball, combined with a shot blocking center in JaVale McGee has made the Lakers a solid defensive team.

Lonzo Ball is becoming notorious for locking up his matchups. Point guards on the other team have been struggling to get going against Ball as he is superb at using his lateral quickness to disrupt the offense. His high basketball IQ allows him to play the passing lanes and rack up 1.5 steals a game.

McGee has been deterring opponents away from the rim all season. He blocks an average of 2.6 shots a game, making him the fourth best shot blocker in the league. With McGee anchoring the paint, the Lakers are able to funnel all the action directly into his location and force opponents into bad shots.

The Warriors will be working hard to score against this LA team, which means we will likely see some great offensive moves from the team’s best scorers. Nothing gets a player up more than a strong challenge on defense.

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