L.A. Lakers: 5 Defensive Philosophies Mike Brown Must Instill to Succeed

Being groomed under San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has earned Mike Brown the title of "defensive specialist."  He is also credited with turning the Cavaliers into one of the premiere defensive teams in the league during a five-year coaching stint in Cleveland.  

Brown took Cleveland to the finals in 2007 on the strength of its defense, and he was named NBA Coach of the Year in 2009 when he led the Cavaliers to a league-high 66 wins.

So what sets Brown apart from everyone else on the defensive end?  

Let's take a look at five defensive philosophies Brown must instill for the Lakers to get back to the NBA Finals.      

5. Shrink the Floor

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LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 10: Andrew Bynum #17 of the Los Angeles Lakers defends James Harden #13 of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half at Staples Center on April 10, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. The Thunder defeated the Lakers 120-106. NOTE T

What does it mean to "shrink the floor"?  It's pretty simple: Brown will ask his team to make it a half-court game by getting back on defense and not allowing opponents to get out in transition, which leads to easy baskets.  

The Lakers gave up way too many easy buckets on opposing fast breaks last season, especially for a team that has the personnel to dominate in a half-court setting next year under Brown.

4. Defend the Paint

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LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 05: Pau Gasol #16 of the Los Angeles Lakers blocks a shot by Derrick Favors #15 of the Utah Jazz at Staples Center on April 5, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. The Jazz won 86-85. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agr

This shouldn't be too hard of a concept for this Lakers team to grasp. The question is: Can Brown get this team to care again?  Can he get this team to play defense with a chip on its shoulder like the Chicago Bulls do under Tom Thibodeau?

Over and over again, the Lakers allowed opposing big men to get easy baskets in the lane, which is difficult to understand, considering their personnel.  

No team in the NBA is blessed with a trio like Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom to defend the paint. The question is: Can Brown convince them to protect it like they would their own home? 

3. Don't Give Up Middle Drives

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ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 08: Pau Gasol #16 of the Los Angeles Lakers defends against Jamal Crawford #11 of the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on March 8, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/

If there was one recurring theme from last season that Lakers fans witnessed over and over again, it was opposing point guards consistently driving the ball down the middle of the lane with ease.  

This is going to be the most difficult fix for Brown because the Lakers really don't have anyone on their roster who can prevent this from happening.  

This has to be a top priority for GM Mitch Kupchak, who is certainly talking to Brown about who they can potentially obtain via trade or free agency who has the lateral quickness to prevent the middle drive.  

2. Contest Everything

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PHOENIX - JANUARY 05: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers defends against Grant Hill #33 of the Phoenix Suns during the NBA game at US Airways Center on January 5, 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Lakers defeated the Suns 99-95. NOTE TO USER: User expr

This is probably Brown's favorite saying: "Contest everything." 

Brown expects hard closeouts and a hand in the face on every outside shot—no matter how far away the defender is from the shooter, he wants to contest everything.

This philosophy is more about effort than anything, and effort on the defensive end is exactly what the Lakers were lacking last season, which ultimately led to their demise. 

1. Trust Your Teammates

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LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 03: Pau Gasol #16, Andrew Bynum #17, Kobe Bryant #24 and Derek Fisher #2 of the Los Angeles Lakers head to the bench after a time out trailing the San Antonio Spurs during the second half at Staples Center on February 3, 2011 i

When Andrew Bynum revealed that the Lakers had "trust issues" last season, everyone wondered what exactly he meant by that.  Was he referring to internal trust issues within the locker room?  

Initially, that's how the media interpreted that statement, but in reality, Bynum was referring to trusting his teammates on defense to have each others' backs.

How many times did we see a pair of Lakers looking at each other in confusion after a made basket? First and foremost, the Lakers have to trust each other next year. If you don't trust your own teammates, then who can you trust?   

It remains to be seen how the Lakers will respond to Mike Brown's defensive philosophies next year, but one thing is certain: They can't possibly be any worse from a defensive standpoint than they were against Dallas in the playoffs in 2011.