Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton has emphasized improving defense all summer long, and it seems one player is taking great strides on that task.
According to Ryan Ward of ClutchPoints, Walton noticed Jordan Clarkson's development on the defensive end, something which the 37-year-old coach didn't forget to highlight following their 105-99 preseason loss to the Utah Jazz.
Luke Walton on Jordan Clarkson: “He seems to care more about the defensive end this year” #Lakers
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) October 11, 2017
Entering his fourth season in the NBA, Jordan Clarkson has previously said he's working on becoming a better defender in order to help the team the best way he can. And with Luke Walton's latest comment, it seems the work he put in is paying off.
The Lakers were dead last in defensive rating over the last two seasons. Last year, they gave up 110.6 points per 100 possessions. Interestingly though, the team were better defensively when Clarkson sat than they were when he's on the floor.
Clarkson's improvement will certainly benefit the Lakers, especially if he can further develop into one of the better two-way players in the league.
Of course, it's not enough that the 25-year-old is the only one stepping up his defensive game. However, he will undoubtedly be a good example for his Lakers teammates as they try to make a splash in the upcoming NBA campaign.
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