Lakers' Defensive Woes Make It Clear: Big Warning for 2026 Playoffs
With a third of the season in the books, the Los Angeles Lakers’ roster construction and defense have become glaring concerns heading into 2026. Expectations were high after last season’s third-place West finish and the full season with Luka Dončić alongside LeBron James, but the defense has not followed. The Lakers’ starting five — Dončić, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton — have allowed 120.7 points per 100 possessions.
Through 76 minutes together before Christmas they were outscored by 15 points, and the team ranks 18th in opponents’ 3-point attempts allowed per game while permitting a 48.6 percent overall field-goal rate, a figure only a few teams exceed. Those numbers mirror past trouble: last regular season the Dončić–James–Reaves trio allowed 117.7 points per 100 possessions in 423 minutes, and they carried a similar defensive cost into their playoff series loss to Minnesota, where the Lakers surrendered 117.2 points per 100 possessions in 140 minutes.
This season the trio’s mark sits at 118.7, and the evidence suggests the Lakers are unlikely to finish in the top four in the West; they look poised to face a team like OKC, Denver, San Antonio or Houston in the first round unless things change. Golden State’s offseason decisions around Jonathan Kuminga have also produced friction. The Warriors handed Kuminga a two-year, $48.5 million deal with a team option in Year 2 structured in a way that could allow his contract to be voided and create a path to free agency, per reporting. That structure reportedly permits a midseason trade window beginning Jan. 15.
Yet on the court Kuminga has seen reduced availability: he registered four straight DNPs and seven in eight games at one point, and Kerr has sometimes used nearly the entire rotation while leaving Kuminga as the only bench option. When given steady minutes, Kuminga has shown promise — over the last two seasons he’s averaged 15.8 points on 49.9 percent shooting in 25.6 minutes, and his numbers improve as a starter — but the current trust issues and limited role have raised questions about his fit and future with Golden State. Houston’s makeover after acquiring Kevin Durant in a seven-team trade has yielded mixed results. The Rockets were 20-10 overall but struggled in December, going 4-6 and seeing their defensive rating slide.
Through late November they ranked second in defensive rating (110.3) but dropped to 23rd (117.8) for the month and were as low as 27th (122.3) over a five-game stretch that included four losses. Integration of Durant into the roster and system appears to be ongoing, and Houston’s December defenisve struggles highlight the adjustment period for a team that expects to be a contender. Across the league, these storylines underscore how roster decisions and defensive lapses can quickly reshape playoff outlooks. The Lakers’ defensive numbers and rotation questions amount to a big warning for their title hopes, while Warriors and Rockets moves show that promise can be undermined by fit and consistency as the season hits its.
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