After consecutive wins over playoff teams in the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks, there was hope that the Los Angeles Lakers would finally be able to build some momentum against a struggling Brooklyn Nets team. But despite another strong Anthony Davis performance, things did not go their way.
Davis finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks, but the Lakers’ defense failed them in the second half of their 130-112 loss. And after the game Davis admitted frustration at the Lakers failure to build off their prior strong performances.
“Very frustrating,” Davis said. “When you have two great games against two solid opponents, two statement wins in a sense, you just want to carry that momentum into tonight. We came out with that carryover and just didn’t come out in the second half with a defensive presence.”
The Lakers allowed 68 points to the Nets in the second half and Davis felt the team allowed the Nets to get anything they wanted offensively. “When you’re trying to find a rhythm and you have two great games on both sides of the floor and then you kind of just revert back in the second half of this game and practically play no defense against these guys,” Davis noted.
“Wide-open shots, wide-open layups, wide-open dunks, we’re fouling, wasn’t rebounding. I think everything on the defensive end, we just didn’t do and it allowed those guys to get in a rhythm and now you’re playing with confidence and the rim was a lot bigger for those guys.”
As for what caused those defensive problems for the Lakers, Davis pointed to communication issues.
“A lot of miscommunication,” Davis added. “When we were supposed to go over screens, we went under some. We score, and then they come back and get a wide-open layup in transition, which doesn’t make sense.
“Miscommunication where we’re helping probably where we shouldn’t. The coverage is kind of messed up. They’re swinging the ball and guys are getting wide-open 3s. Just things like that that we’ve been able to control the past couple games and just didn’t do it in the third quarter.”
These are the kinds of issues that shouldn’t plague a team that is supposed to pride itself of that end of the floor. But while Davis is frustrated at the Lakers’ struggles, he still isn’t concerned, which is a difference.
“I wouldn’t say ‘concerning.’ Frustration, for sure,” Davis made clear. “Concern is when you know that you’re not a good team and you can’t do it. Frustration comes from the point where, we know what we can do. We’ve shown it and we’re not doing it. So it’s more frustrating than concerning for me.”
With recent wins over the Thunder, Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers, the Lakers, to Davis’ point, have shown what they are capable of. Not being able to carry that over against teams they should be able to defeat is undoubtedly extremely frustrating, however.
Lakers’ LeBron James says Anthony Davis is learning how to pass from him
One positive for Davis and the Lakers is his continued improved passing as he had his fourth straight game with at least five assists. And LeBron James recently took some credit for Davis’ progress with his playmaking.
“He’s learning from me how to pass out of the post,” LeBron said after the victory. “I’m serious. He’s been working on it, and it’s great. Teams are gonna stop doubling him soon.
“As long as we make shots out there for him, teams will stop doubling him. It’s our job to make sure we’re in the right position at the right time when he gets doubled. We have a numbers game, it’s gonna be a four-on-three on the backside, so we have to put ourselves in position.”
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