While LeBron is declining don't discount that the Clippers D was spectacular. Every team will not be able to do AD and LeBron like that.
that actually is not true.
dont be fooled by half court pressure defenses. the clips played solid defense all game and AD cooked them in the first half. just like kawhi was clamped in the first half then couldnt miss thereafter. same but in reverse.
Truth is, they can't guard AD at all without fouling him. it was evident.
What they could do is rush a bunch of guys who havent played together into doing things they didnt want to do because they are new to the systems and one another. the lakers have like 8 or 9 new guys. its going to take at least half the season for the chemistry to be right. They didnt have their 2nd unit floor general in rondo. old as he is on defense. we need that man to be a floor general and set guys up last night for real. it was obvious.
we missed Kuz's youth, and athleticism, scoring off the pine too. i know..i know, they didnt have PG13. actually having him early in the season wont make them better. they will have less chemistry until he gets acclimated to playing with kawhi and that starting unit. there's a reason kawhi looked shaky early on. it wasnt all lakers defense. it was a chemistry issue. just like the lakers new 8 or 9 guys will have at least for 40 games or so.