The Los Angeles Lakers recorded their first win of the 2014-15 NBA season Sunday night when they defeated the Charlotte Hornets. The team was sitting dead last in the Western Conference before the night and fans were a little easy with the 0-5 start.
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However, with a tough schedule ahead of them, the Lakers knew the importance of the game and were able to finally get into the win column. Behind 21 points from Kobe Bryant and Jeremy Lin, the Lakers gave the fans at Staples Center something to cheer about with a 107-92 victory.
Coach Byron Scott has been preaching defensive intensity ever since taking helm, but the team was unable to have positive results until last night. The Lakers were able to hold the Hornets to just 92 points, but after the game, Al Jefferson said the defense on him was not very pressing via Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
Check out this quote from Al Jefferson on the Lakers defense (1/2): “I think they were too easy for me. That’s why I couldn’t make my shots”
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) November 10, 2014
Al Jefferson continued on Lakers defense (2/2): “What I mean by too easy is that they didn’t double team me. They just let me go one-on-one”
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) November 10, 2014
Jefferson finished the game with 23 points and eight rebounds, but had a plus/minus of -21 and was just 10-23 from the field. The Lakers’ big men had a great game on both ends of the court, but apparently Jefferson thought they could have challenged him more on defense.
[divide]Lakers Post-Game: Jeremy Lin After The Lakers First Win