Lakers beef up on defense

This season, the Lakers have a defensive presence of their own.

"Duplication is the sincerest form of flattery," Derek Fisher said, smiling today after practice. "I think we were a little jealous of how Boston played defense. We want to be like them, or better, on defense."

It's early, but the Lakers seem to be mimicking the Celtics on the defensive end.

The Lakers are ranked first in the NBA in points allowed, giving up 84.4 points per game. The Celtics are ranked third in points allowed, giving up 86.7.

The Lakers are ranked second in field-goal-percentage defense, holding teams to 39% shooting. The Celtics are ranked first in field-goal-percentage defense, holding teams to 37.5% shooting.

"We know that Boston was better on defense than we were last year," Pau Gasol said. "It's a big part of what you have to do in the NBA Finals if you want to get to that next level and win it all. We just have to keep working on our defense and try to make it the top in the league."

Having two 7-footers in Gasol and Andrew Bynum this season has helped the Lakers on defense.

Bynum is second in the NBA in blocked shots, averaging 2.8 per game. Gasol averages 1.4 blocks.

"We're both athletic 7-footers and that helps us," Gasol said. "That's our responsibility, is to be there and protect our guys."

Having athletic wing players on defense also has helped the Lakers.

Trevor Ariza and Kobe Bryant are very good defenders against shooting guards and small forwards, usually the opponent's top offensive threats. Fisher is solid on defense at point guard.

Ariza is getting 2.0 steals per game, 10th best in the NBA. Bryant averages 1.8 steals per game, 12th best in the NBA.

"We just try to keep our man in front of us," Ariza said. "But we know that if we get beat, we have two 7-footers behind us."

The Lakers showed what kind of defensive team they can be against the Houston Rockets on Sunday night. Houston blitzed the Lakers' defense in the first quarter, scoring 28 points.

The Lakers clamped down from there, allowing 20 points in the second, 17 in the third and 17 in the fourth.

The Lakers say it will take that same effort to defeat the Mavericks on Tuesday night in Dallas and the Hornets on Wednesday night in New Orleans.

"I think our coaches, as well as our team, we realized that in order for us to make up that gap against Boston, it started on defense," Fisher said. "Boston was able to kind of sustain their defense longer periods than we could last year in the Finals. We tipped our hats to them. But we are working to become a top-notch defensive team."

Turner is a Times staff writer.

broderick.turner@latimes.com