Even though they have been missing key players in every game, the Los Angeles Lakers have not looked good this preseason, and that was again the case on Sunday night when they were blown out by the Phoenix Suns at home, 123-94.
There were some positives to take away for the Lakers, however, with the main being the play of Anthony Davis.
Davis sat out the Lakers’ last game and immediately came out in attack mode in this one, finishing with 19 points, three rebounds, six assists three steals and a block. Davis got to the free-throw line 11 times in 28 minutes, knocking down eight of them.
Davis’ also had the biggest highlight of the night, almost bringing down the rim on an alley-oop in transition in the second quarter during the Lakers’ lone extended run.
Outside of Davis, the only other Lakers player to have a strong game offensively was Carmelo Anthony, who showed what role he will play on this team by knocking down a bunch of outside shots. Anthony scored 17 points to go along with four rebounds, shooting 6-of-12 from the field including 5-of-7 from behind the arc.
While Kent Bazemore didn’t necessarily impress on the offensive end of the floor, finishing with just eight points, he seemed to be everywhere on the defensive end of the floor. Bazemore had four steals on the night, continuing to make his case for a spot in the starting lineup.
For the second straight game, Russell Westbrook struggled to take care of the ball. In 26 minutes, Westbrook had just eight points on 3-of-12 shooting while turning it over nine times. It will take time to get used to playing with his new teammates so there’s no need to pani, but Westbrook’s first impression has not been great so far.
Up next for Lakers…
The Lakers have two preseason games remaining, hosting the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday and then traveling to take on the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. The expectation is all of Davis, Westbrook and LeBron James will play on Tuesday, so Lakers fans will get their first look at the team’s new big three in action.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
