Much like last year’s first round playoff series, the Los Angeles Lakers’ front court combination of Anthony Davis and Rui Hachimura dominated the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night. Davis finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and six blocks while Hachimura added 23 points off the bench, making all four of his 3-pointers in the Lakers’ 27-point win in their second game of the NBA’s In-Season Tournament.
It was the first game between these two teams since that series that the Lakers won and the result on this night was the same. It also had a little extra meaning being an In-Season Tournament game and the Lakers are now 2-0 in that as well.
LeBron James has spoken about the increased intensity in these contests and Davis feels it too, noting that there is a bit of extra motivation for the Lakers within these games.
“$500 [thousand] sounds real good. It’s gonna bring that juice,” Davis said. “Nah, I just think obviously it’s the In-Season Tournament but you know for us, we just try to get better each and every game you know for ourselves. It’s always an extra feel whether it’s from when we played in Phoenix, their home crowd kind of got into it. So it was kind of more of like a playoff game but In-Season Tournament, even at home.
“But I think just the incentive of winning the trophy, I guess. But I think guys are, I heard one of our players, I’m not gonna say who, but he was like, ‘Man, we beat Phoenix. That’s one step closer to this $500 [thousand],’ and I’ve never had that before. So that’s a little extra motivation. But it’s been fun. I mean, just all the, obviously the uniforms tonight and the court, it’s been cool.”
Hachimura also echoed that sentiment, believing the NBA has done well in differentiating these games and increasing that intensity.
“Yeah, for sure. I can feel that,” the Lakers forward added. “I think NBA did a good job changing the jerseys, the courts. It actually made me feel like a little different than regular games since we have a prize. We get a pretty good prize. We get to play in Vegas, right? And I think that’s gonna be pretty good. I think switching up a little bit, it’s gonna make us more motivated during the season.”
Considering Hachimura’s playoff performance last season, it makes a lot of sense that his best game so far this year would come in a game where the stakes are higher. He has proven himself to be a big-game player and this was more evidence to that point.
Many questioned whether this In-Season Tournament would work to increase the excitement during these early games, but for the players at least, it seems to be working and the Lakers look focused on bringing home that inaugural trophy.
Lakers’ Anthony Davis didn’t feel extra motivation playing Jaren Jackson Jr.
It was not lost on anyone that Davis’ dominant defensive performance came against the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr. Davis held Jackson to just eight points on 3-of-16 shooting and of course had those six blocks. But Davis insists there was no extra motivation.
“I’m playing the same way,” Davis said after the Lakers win. “It wasn’t a thing of, ‘Oh, he got it last year, let me try to,’ you know, show him up or anything like that. I just go and compete. Protect the rim, tell my guys to compete on the ball, and funnel all the guys towards me and I’ll take care of rest.
“So I just go out there and just play as hard as I can on both ends of the floor. But especially on the defensive end, and knowing that I’m an anchor and got to protect all the guys.”
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