The Los Angeles Lakers are not a perfect team, far from it. However, there are certain things that can be controlled and others that cannot. The former is where today’s topic of conversation comes in.

Things like Jaxson Hayes being their only viable center option offer a good example of the uncontrollable (at this point). The Lakers were locked into that situation after nixing the Mark Williams trade at the NBA trade deadline. They have made the most of the situation and group they have.

On the other hand, there are still things within the confines of what Los Angeles is working with that can certainly be cleaned up. This next area will be important throughout the NBA Playoffs.

Discipline will be key for the Lakers

There is one statistical category that stands out as troublesome for the Lakers. It is important to note that the following numbers listed will be post All-Star break, since it offers the best insight on what the team has looked like since the Luka Doncic trade.

Those with a keen eye, will likely know that today’s conversation will be about turnovers. Terminology like ‘clean up’ should have been a dead giveaway.

The Lakers have been big-time offenders in that category since the All-Star break. They rank quite poorly when it comes to taking care of the basketball. Los Angeles is in a three-way tie with the Atlanta Hawks and Denver Nuggets for 21st in the NBA when it comes to the turnovers per game category. They have posted 14.5 a game to wind down the season.

Their turnover percentage has them ranking worse than both of those teams. The Lakers slip to 25th in that category, averaging 14.8. There are a couple of notable offenders in both categories.

Doncic has averaged 3.8 turnover per game. LeBron James is an offender too. James has posted 3.5 turnovers per game. Austin Reaves also sneaks in there with a slightly less offensive number of 2.5 a night.

Doncic’s 7.8 assists per game, and Reaves’ 5.0 a night allow both to at least clear a 2:1 assist to turnover ratio. However, James does fall short of that mark.

Some may feel like this is a silly thing to harp on, but when one remembers who the Lakers’ primary competition is in the Western Conference, it becomes quite notable. One of the key reasons the Oklahoma City Thunder have found the success they have enjoyed all year is taking good care of the basketball.

The Thunder have ranked first in turnovers per game (11.7), turnover percentage (11.6), and assist to turnover ratio (2.29) during the entirety of the 2024-25 NBA season. All those things remain true even if just strictly looking at the stretch run following the All-Star break.

If the Lakers get into a seven-game series with the Thunder by the time the Western Conference Finals roll around, sloppy play will cost them. The Thunder also rank first in the NBA when it comes to points off turnovers.

‘Take care of the basketball and make good decisions’ is something anyone who has played basketball at any level has likely heard from their coach. One would safely assume JJ Redick will be telling his Lakers the same thing.