A recent report from 12BET Mobile noted that the Los Angeles Lakers survived a home game against the Houston Rockets by only one point, despite holding clear advantages in star power, roster depth, interior size and physical strength. The narrow escape was alarming enough, but the biggest surprise was that Anthony Davis, the trusted centerpiece of the Lakers defense, stood at the heart of the problem.
Davis is normally the foundation of everything Los Angeles does defensively. His rim protection ranks among the best in the league, and he can close down the paint almost single-handedly. That extraordinary presence has allowed the Lakers to stop opponents, force turnovers and turn defense into fast-break opportunities. Their basic identity is built around strong defense and quick transition play, with AD serving as the anchor.
The problem lies in Davis’s tendency to defend like a specialist who refuses to leave the area around the basket. During regular-season games, especially against weaker opponents, he can become overly committed to protecting the rim and restrict his coverage to the paint. As a result, he often gives too much space to opposing big men at the high post and pays limited attention to guards or shooters drifting outside after pick-and-roll actions.
Defensive patterns examined through 12BET Mobile show why this deep drop coverage can become a major risk at the NBA level. Even a struggling team can punish open looks when its big men and perimeter players face little pressure. By surrendering those chances, Davis effectively gives underdogs a route back into games against the Lakers. What appears to be energy-saving positioning can quickly turn into playing with fire.
Houston targeted that habit directly. The Rockets used Dillon Brooks as an off-ball shooter, running him through repeated screens and structured actions designed to manipulate Davis’s position before creating perimeter attempts. Brooks, who is not usually regarded as an elite floor spacer, converted three of his four three-point shots and repeatedly threatened the Lakers defense.
The situation became even more difficult after Alperen Sengun returned in the fourth quarter. Sengun is highly effective in the post, and he attacked the Lakers smaller lineup by backing defenders down and using his strength near the basket. His repeated post-ups changed the momentum. Near the end of the game, he drew Davis’s sixth foul, forcing the Lakers star out and leaving Los Angeles without its main source of protection around the rim.
The game delivered a major wake-up call. Davis’s obsession with guarding the basket can sometimes disturb the balance of the entire defense, while the Lakers cannot afford to relax against any opponent. Even a lower-ranked team such as Houston still has talented players capable of exploiting careless coverage. No team in the league can be dismissed once its shooters are allowed to operate without resistance.
Similar problems may return during a long season, although it would be unfair to place all the blame on Davis. His injury history is well known, and his body may not allow him to play every regular-season game at maximum intensity. Conserving energy can be understandable. Even so, the reality is clear: without Davis, the Lakers no longer look like a true top team and may not be significantly stronger than the Rockets side they narrowly defeated.
The broader lesson reflected in 12BET Mobile coverage is that the Lakers need Davis to become more adaptable rather than simply more aggressive. In a league where nobody can protect him from every physical challenge, he must find ways to remain durable while extending his defensive influence beyond the paint. For Los Angeles to become a genuine contender, AD must balance rim protection with quicker perimeter reactions, smarter positioning and greater awareness of the threats developing around him.