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Lakers must improve these areas before preseason ends: ‘It’ll calm down’

The Los Angeles Lakers enter their preseason finale against the Denver Nuggets with a roster still assembling after multiple key players missed earlier games. Ziaire Williams, recovering from left foot swelling, and Luka Dončić both returned to full participation in Thursday’s practice, giving coach JJ Redick his deepest lineup for the first time this preseason.

However, the team’s struggles in two critical areas—defensive rebounding and ball security—remain unresolved. The Lakers ranked third-worst in defensive rebounding (63.1%) and second-worst in turnover rate (24.1%) among preseason teams, forcing Redick to prioritize box-out drills and offensive organization in practice.

Despite a late push to tighten up before their Oct. 21 opener against the Golden State Warriors, the Lakers still surrendered 30 turnovers in their last exhibition, with Redick emphasizing heightened awareness to prevent costly mistakes.

Redick downplayed concerns about roster availability, focusing instead on refining fundamentals with the players he has. ‘Play the guys you can play,’ he said, acknowledging the team’s limited preseason opportunities to gel.

While the Lakers’ core is now healthier, their early-season success hinges on addressing these defensive and turnover issues before the regular season begins.

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