Magic Johnson has seen enough to make the call. Following the Lakers’ recent win over the Rockets, the franchise icon didn’t just applaud their surge- he pinpointed a specific “drastic change” fueling it: a transformed defense under head coach JJ Redick.

According to Johnson, it’s this defensive leap, defined by sharper rotations, stronger communication, and committed man-to-man coverage, that has turned Los Angeles into a legitimate contender in the West. And in his view, the credit starts at the top with Redick’s system and leadership. Magic tweeted:

“The Lakers are contenders in the West because of their outstanding improvement on defense,” Johnson wrote. “It’s been a total team effort, starting with man-to-man defense, and their rotations and communication have been excellent. It says a lot about the great job JJ Redick is doing! The Lakers are the most exciting team to watch in the NBA!”

Even as Magic Johnson called out their defensive flaws, the Purple and Gold are flipping the script. Their season defensive rating sits at 115.7, ranked 20th, yet over the last 10 games, it sharpens to 110.8, ranked 8th.

That improvement is even sharper in March, with the rating dipping to 109.7, ranked 7th. Holding a 113.8 scoring Rockets side to 104 twice shows real bite. Credit flows to JJ Redick and a system squeezing grit from a limited roster.

Now, Magic Johnson also tweeted, “In the last week, the Lakers have beaten three Playoff teams – Denver, Minnesota and Houston twice!” The Los Angeles Lakers first took down the Rockets on Monday in a 100-92 win at Toyota Center. LA put on a defensive clinic against Kevin Durant.

He dropped 16 early, then stalled at just 2 after halftime, ending with 18 points on 8 of 16 shooting, plus 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Moreover, 7 turnovers, including 6 late, told the real story. JJ Redick unleashed relentless double teams, and even Durant’s “gimmick defense” label could not hide the impact.

The clamps stayed on from there.

The Lakers’ new defensive identity was on full display as they completely shut down opposing stars. Against the Nuggets, Jamal Murray was held to just 5 points on 1-of-14 shooting, alongside 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and a foul out in a 127-125 OT win over the Denver Nuggets.

Then, Anthony Edwards- fresh off multiple 30-plus nights managed only 14 points on 2-of-15 shooting, with 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. Marcus Smart led the lockdown effort in a dominant 120-106 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, cementing this Lakers defense as a genuine force.

The defensive turnaround is no longer a trend- it’s an identity. Meanwhile, the 66-year-old legend didn’t leave out Luka Doncic after his outstanding 40-point night against Houston on Wednesday.

History tells us that a mid-season defensive transformation of this kind can be the exact thing that separates a contender from a champion. The clearest parallel in Lakers lore is Frank Vogel’s 2019-20 championship squad, which posted a 106.3 defensive rating, third-best in the league, and rode that lockdown identity all the way to the title.

Defense wasn’t a secondary concern that year- it was the foundation the whole thing was built on. What JJ Redick is engineering now isn’t just a hot streak- it rhymes with that blueprint.

The 2021-22 Boston Celtics offer another instructive template: they stumbled to an 18-21 start, then completely overhauled their defensive system mid-season and rode what became the league’s best defense to the NBA Finals.

The lesson from both examples is the same: when a coaching staff instills a genuine defensive identity late in a season, the results can carry deep into June. Whether Redick’s Lakers can sustain it through the playoffs remains the question, but the trajectory is impossible to ignore.

Magic Johnson praised Luka Doncic

“Lakers Luka Doncic put on a show tonight with 40 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds in their 124-116 win over the Houston Rockets!” Magic tweeted once again. “He had help from LeBron James who had three incredible dunks and finished with 30 points – extending their winning streak to 7.”

Luka Doncic stole the spotlight in Wednesday’s game. With LA up 110-109 and 3:12 left, he buried a deep step-back three for 113-109. “That’s what I do,” he told the Houston Rockets. A declaration? Yes.

He then sliced through pressure to find Rui Hachimura for an alley oop, then repeated the magic for James to make it 117-111. Finally, a contested triple with 58.4 seconds left pushed it to 120-111, sealing his 40-point masterclass.

In a 124-116 road win over the Rockets, LA stretched its streak to seven straight. Luka Doncic and LeBron James delivered a crunch-time masterpiece, and the noise around LA is growing louder — for good reason.

Meanwhile, James turned efficiency into art. Embracing a third option role behind Doncic and Reaves, the 23-year veteran exploded with a stunning 13-for-14 shooting night, an elite 92.9% clip. Add six thunderous dunks, and it matched the best efficiency mark of his career, last seen in 2013. While the role shifted, the dominance and timing stayed intact.

The seemingly ageless LeBron James continues to deliver at an elite level. So, right now, the Los Angeles Lakers feel like a storm no one can quite read. The offense remains unbeatable, and the defense now bites back with intent.

Magic Johnson has already called it: title contenders in the West. With Luka Doncic leading the charge and LeBron James rewriting time, this run feels real, dangerous, and perfectly timed.