The Lakers held the Cavaliers in check during the second half of Sunday's victory, and they are thrilled with their defensive improvement.
"We've really got the defense figured out now, everybody knows their jobs," guard Jordan Farmar said. "We know where to help. We've got each other's backs. It all works."
Los Angeles held Cleveland to 16 points in the third quarter, and just 14 in the fourth.
"I'm pleased," assistant coach Kurt Rambis said. "We're getting better. It's still not where I would like it to be, but we're getting better, and that's encouraging."