Los Angeles Lakers Look Better Than the Dallas Mavericks

Both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks came out of the gates very slowly to start the season, and while both are expected to be among the top few seeds in the Western Conference, the Lakers look like they are in much better shape than the defending NBA champions.

Ignore the fact that they have rebounded to win their last two games after beginning the season 0-2, while the Mavericks are still searching for that elusive first win. It's what the Lakers are doing and what the Mavericks aren't that tells the difference between the two teams.

Defense and rebounding.

New Lakers head coach Mike Brown preaches defense from every guy in uniform, and the Lakers have responded to it.

Los Angeles is making a habit of challenging every shot, and the numbers reflect that, as they've allowed only 85.3 points per game through their four contests.

In doing so, they've had success crashing the glass, as they rank in the upper half of the league in rebounding. Not allowing second and third shot opportunities has been a big part of the Lakers' mini turnaround.

Plus, they've done it without the services of Andrew Bynum, so they are likely just going to get better.

It's completely opposite for the Mavericks at the moment.

They've been stopping no one, as teams have scored at a 108.0 point-per-game clip on them so far, and when it comes to crashing the glass, Dallas just isn't coming close to getting the job done. Just comparing the two clubs, the Lakers are pulling down an average of 10 more rebounds per game.

For Dallas, things on the defensive end are beginning to become a problem. To their defense, they've played three very good teams in Miami, Denver and the Lakers. Add to that the fact that former Laker Lamar Odom has been completely awful, averaging only 4.7 points and 4.3 rebounds through three games in a Mavericks uniform, and you have to like where the Lakers currently sit much better than Dallas.