The Los Angeles Lakers’ most recent win is their most satisfying so far during the early stages of the 2023-24 season as they snapped their 11-game losing streak against the L.A. Clippers.
It took an overtime period to do it, but the Lakers finally overcame their regular season struggles to beat the Clippers and improve their record to 3-2. The Lakers looked like they were going to suffer another terrible loss after allowing the Clippers to erase an eight-point deficit in the final two minutes, but the purple and gold were able to hang on.
LeBron James led the team in scoring with 35 points on an efficient 13-of-19 shooting from the field. However, James saved his best for the fourth quarter as he scored several tough baskets to keep the Lakers slightly ahead.
Anthony Davis discussed James’ late-game heroics and how he’s been able to be so effective. “He’s been phenomenal down the stretch in this early season,” Davis said. “I think they were kind of banking minutes early on and then just letting him kind of flow throughout the fourth quarter.
“And he’s making the right plays. He’s getting to the basket, his jumper was working tonight in the midrange, making the right reads to shooters on the perimeter when he’s getting double-teamed or driving to the basket. He tells all the guys that the ball is gonna come to you, I’m gonna find you, just be ready to shoot. Just like the one he had to DLo in the corner in front our bench and he didn’t shoot it and it got tipped out of bounds, he was yelling at him like ‘be ready to shoot the ball!’ He’s a willing passer, obviously, by his numbers and it’s on us to finish. As we get more rhythm, guys get more rhythm and comfortable and know that these passes are coming, the shots will go in and it’s just gonna open up the floor, especially for him late-game coming off pick-and-rolls.”
James has a knack for taking over games when he needs to and his performance against the Clippers left players like Jayson Tatum in awe.
Although the team wants to limit James’ minutes to keep him fresh, it’ll be hard to sit him when they find themselves in close games.
Anthony Davis says Cam Reddish’s role is exactly what he did against Clippers
Taurean Prince was a late scratch, so Darvin Ham named Cam Reddish as the last-minute replacement starter. Reddish was a menace defensively and took shots within the flow of the offense, a role that Davis said would be his role the rest of the way.
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