This Fourth Quarter Stat Shows Why The Lakers Are A Defensive Juggernaut

• LeBron James and Anthony Davis will carry the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2019-20 NBA Playoffs. However, a role player might end up being the difference-maker in their championship run.

• Jared Dudley has been one of the best defenders in the league when looking at advanced stats, and he seems to do a better job as games draw to a close. His impact on the defensive end could be huge for the Lakers title chances.

• The Lakers are atop the Western Conference standings and hold a 5.5-game lead on the Los Angeles Clippers.

• The Lakers are +150 to represent the West in the NBA Finals. They're +250 to win it all, per DraftKings Sportsbook.

Leading The Way In The West

The Los Angeles Lakers are, without a doubt, one of the top contenders in the Western Conference ahead of the 2019-20 NBA Playoffs. Frank Vogel’s men had compiled a 49-14 record before the league was suspended in early-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. They currently hold a 5.5-game lead over the second-best team in the Conference, the Los Angeles Clippers. Their status as a bonafide title contender can’t be questioned now that the league will resume in Orlando over the coming days.

Most of the team’s success can be attributed to what LeBron James (25.7 points, 10.6 assists, and 7.9 rebounds per game) and Anthony Davis (26.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.4 blocks per contest) have done so far. However, another player might be thrusted into the spotlight when things matter the most for the California-based franchise. He goes by the name of Jared Dudley.

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Adding To Their Defensive Expertise

The 35-year-old Dudley, a 13-year veteran who is playing his first year with the Lakers, fills the role of defensive stopper. He's usually tasked with shutting down the opposition’s best perimeter offensive threat. That’s easier said than done if we consider how offenses run in today’s NBA, but Dudley has been surprisingly effective.

When it comes to players that have logged at least 30 appearances in the fourth quarter, Dudley ranks third in the league in defensive rating with a 90.2 figure -- only Shaquille Harrison (Chicago Bulls, 90.0) and Quinn Cook (Lakers, 90.1) top him. For what it's worth, the Lakers have gone 23-7 in those games, and Dudley has averaged a healthy 4.8 minutes per fourth quarter.

In fact, Dudley is not the only Lakers player in the top-five in the category. As mentioned above, Cook ranks second, but Alex Caruso also enters the conversation with the fourth-best rating (92.2). It must be noted that Caruso has logged 7.2 minutes per fourth quarter in that stretch and the Lakers have gone 41-10 during that span. Meanwhile, Cook averages 5.6 minutes per fourth quarter, with Los Angeles going 24-6 in those 30 contests he has appeared in.

Let’s get back to Dudley, though. His impact on the defensive end of the court can be huge, as he is adept to take on shooting guards or small forwards at equal ease due to his 6'6", 237-pound frame. He is at his best defensively against small-ball lineups, but he has proven to be an effective stopper in crunch time. Contending teams always need these types of role players and Dudley certainly fills a specific role for the Lakers off the bench and late in games.

The Lakers might go as far as James and Davis can carry them. However, Dudley’s contributions on the defensive end of the floor could prove to be extremely valuable for them, and he could end up playing a pivotal role in the team’s postseason run. Dudley's presence as a terrific role piece with experience provides the Lakers with a veteran to lean on.

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