The defensive ability of NBA players can be changed, and attitude is more important than physical talent. In the case of Harden, although many fans have long considered him to be poor on the defensive end, his defensive efficiency has reached 110 this season7 (ranked 75th in the league), which is considered an upper-middle level. During his time with the Rockets, Harden had always been known as an excellent scorer and assister, so he didn't focus much on defense. Now, however, Harden has changed his attitude and focused on passing playmaking and defense, willing to sacrifice his personal data in exchange for a team victory.
He successfully defended his brother one-on-one in the All-Star Game, leaving his opponent helpless. Even after joining the Lakers, he has become an excellent defensive player. The Lakers and Clippers have become teams that have come back with great defense. The Clippers have a defensive efficiency of 1115 (seventh in the league), while the Lakers have a defensive efficiency of 1117 (eighth in the league). The Lakers brought in new signings such as Hachimura, Vanderbilt, Reddish and Prince, who were excellent defensively.
While Hachimura is a little more prominent on the offensive end, while Reddish and Vanderbilt are weaker in scoring, the Lakers' offensive pressure can be greatly reduced as long as they can hit a few more three-pointers. The reason why the Lakers poached these 3D forward players is to build an excellent 3D master group around James and Bushy Eyebrows to compete against strong teams such as the defending champion Nuggets. This season, the Lakers' new signings Reddish and Prince have been eye-catching, with strong defensive rivalry and excellent pairings with James and Bushy Eyebrows. Wood and Hayes, on the other hand, are in some competition, and both are power forwards.
When coaches are more inclined to use Hayes, Wood's chances of playing are reduced accordingly;Vice versa. Although Hayes is younger, while Wood is more experienced and has more scoring ability, this season, Wood has performed well many times, scoring 17 points + 8 rebounds + 3 assists + 1 steal + 3 blocks in a single game, as well as 16 points + 8 rebounds + 2 assists + 2 blocks and other statistics. Hayes, on the other hand, scored just 11 points in a single game. In addition, Wood has also achieved double-doubles many times, such as 12 points + 11 rebounds + 2 assists in a single game, and 10 points + 11 rebounds + 1 steal + 1 block.
Wood has always been able to be more efficient and flashy when he gets the opportunity and the ball. Even though he was off the bench with the Mavericks last season, he still averaged 167 points. In addition, Wood also has some mid-range shooting ability, and he has a career three-point shooting percentage of 375%, which can be said to be quite good. In contrast, Hayes lacks mid-to-long-range shooting ability and can only rely on inside scoring, and his scoring means are relatively simple. Many fans believe that Wood has shortcomings on the defensive end and is not up to the task.
However, according to statistics released by NBA reporters, Wood's defensive efficiency this season is 1092 (ranked 52nd in the league). After joining the Lakers, Wood completely changed his defensive attitude and habits, showing a new defensive ability. At the moment, only four players on the Lakers' roster — Bushy Eyebrows, Vanderbilt, Reddish and Hachimura — are more efficient defensively than Wood. Wood has shaken off criticism of defensive shortcomings and has become an integral part of the Lakers' defensive system. In the offseason, Wood joined the Lakers with a base salary** ($5.75 million over two years).
At the time, many teams were hoping to pick up Wood at a base salary, but in the end he chose the Lakers. There are three main reasons for this: The Lakers need an interior player who can play both power forward and center;Wood wants to achieve great stats and performances with the Lakers and realize his own value;What Wood wants most is to help James and Bushy Eyebrows win championships together and achieve their dreams.