The Athletic NBA Daily Who do you TRUST more? | Morning Shoot Around
Feb 25, 2026
A playful trust game compares which playoff teams feel reliable when it matters most. Short debates cover Lakers vs Rockets, Suns and injury questions, Spurs vs Pistons youth vs experience, and Knicks vs Celtics steadiness. Conversations hit Thunder vs Nuggets depth, Cavs vs Timberwolves ceilings, Raptors vs Sixers first-round chances, league parity and possible offseason shakeups.
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Lakers Inconsistency Is Rooted In Defense
- The Lakers are wildly inconsistent and suffer from a very poor defense despite star talent.
- Andrew Schlecht points out they rank 24th defensively and have a negative net rating, explaining blowout losses and unpredictability.
Bad Role Players Sink Star-Led Teams
- The Lakers roster construction undermines their stars because role players lack fit and two-way reliability.
- Andrew Schlecht lists poor role options (Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, Rui, DeAndre Ayton) as reasons their depth fails in pressure moments.
Rockets Have Identity But Offensive Limits
- The Rockets have clearer identity than the Lakers but still face offensive reliability and clutch problems.
- Esfandiar Baraheni concedes Houston's defense and identity make them preferable, yet doubts their ability to beat top Western contenders.