The Los Angeles Lakers’ victory over the Houston Rockets was a defensive exhibition. In the offense, Luka Doncic notched up his sixth consecutive 30-point performance while Austin Reaves had a sluggish night. LeBron James again did what was asked of him. Head coach JJ Redick didn’t mind risking a minimum $15,000 fine for profanity during his press conference after the game. He just wouldn’t go without acknowledging James’ night of effort and grit.

“I told him, I said I see you,” Redick said. “You’re playing hard as f—. That matters. You’re lifting our team up because of how hard you’re playing. Whether that’s trying to take a charge, coming back and back-tapping things. His physicality defensively. Being in rotations. Like all the stuff and the offense came for him.”

This was a win that showcased the Lakers’ latest improvements. Reaves was one of the players who stepped up and showed his desire to win. Subsequently, James spent time face-guarding Kevin Durant, playing off the sacrifice Redick had spoken about. The 41-year-old scored 18 points with five rebounds and five assists while shooting 7 of 13 from the field and 1 of 3 from deep.

James has recently been focusing on contributing and being a team-first player rather than worrying about his scores. While he remains a high-usage player, the drop in his scoring this season is evident in his 21.3-point average, down from 24.4 the previous year. The veteran received immense praise in the previous game as well when he made a full-body airborne dive against the Nuggets to try and win possession in the final minute.

“I told him after the game, I said, ‘In 23 years of watching you play in the NBA and the three years I watched him play in high school, I never saw him make a full-out extension dive like that,'” Redick said. “He said, ‘You’re right. I’ve never done that.'”

Apart from James, Reaves still impacted the win, even on a night when he shot 5 of 18 from the field. He compiled four steals and a block. But outside of that, Reaves’ effort was undeniable. He charged at Kevin Durant, making him uncomfortable, and switched seamlessly when guarding in the half-court.

It saw the Lakers grind out a win. The Purple and Gold group executed its defensive assignments well. The Rockets committed seven turnovers in the fourth quarter alone, scoring just 12 points. On the other hand, the Lakers missed good looks, but didn’t appear as disrupted as Houston did.

The result was a win against one of the most physical and athletic teams in the West. There is a far more important message emerging through all of this, though.

Everyone is buying in for the Lakers

JJ Redick spent much of the early season feeling the rush of problems. The Lakers had too many stars who weren’t used to playing second fiddle. However, since being healthy after the All-Star break, there has been some clarity. Everyone has well-defined roles, and the players have openly accepted them.

We already spoke about LeBron James. He’s playing more off the ball and expending his energy as a 6’8” defender with versatility. Reaves and Doncic are running the offense by being the decision-makers. The ‘Big 3’ adapting has encouraged others to follow suit.

Deandre Ayton had just 1 point before checking into the fourth quarter. Normally, there would be concerns about his effort. But even he’s shown an inclination to be the rough center who will scrap. That helped against a small-ball lineup the Rockets threw into the game. Ayton added six points in the fourth and played exceptional defense.

Marcus Smart had another electric game. He knocked down shots and set the tone with his relentless motor. The Lakers have actually managed to win games against genuine playoff competition because of their defense. The Rockets scored just 92. They also allowed just 97 points to the New York Knicks and 106 to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

This was always the one puzzle they had to solve. JJ Redick has a plethora of offensive options. But he’s now seeing some defensive pillars emerge within the team, which has had a positive impact on the team’s play.

With the intensity with which the Lakers are playing, they look far more than a first-round exit team, which has been the situation for the past two years. This team looks determined. Players are sacrificing, but everyone is tussling. That’s the difference.

The Lakers aren’t playing pretty basketball anymore. They are playing to win. And the results (nine wins in the last ten games) in front of them are fascinating.