Before the start of the season, Rui Hachimura stressed the importance of the Los Angeles Lakers getting off to a hot start to avoid digging themselves a hole like the last two seasons.
So far, they have been able to do that as the Lakers are 3-0 for the first time since 2010, picking up home wins over Western Conference rivals in the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings.
It was a group effort to come back and beat the Kings on Saturday night in the second night of a back-to-back with Hachimura contributing 18 points, nine rebounds and three assists.
After the game, Hachimura talked about the Lakers’ undefeated record and what seems to be an extra level of focus for the team.
“I told you guys before the season started, last year we were kind of messing around, like you guys saw that,” Hachimura admitted. “Just the lineup, everything, injuries and all that. We didn’t have kind of the mindset of OK, let’s take No. 1 in the West. We didn’t have that mindset, but this year I think we have that since we started training camp. I think we know that we have to be good and we just think about the playoffs. It’s the long run, but you just got to kind of think about how we want to beat all of these other teams. So I think each game is gonna be important for us.”
While there still is a long way to go, the Lakers have been prepared and ready to compete every night under new head coach JJ Redick. That has made all the difference so far as the same roster from last season is off to a much better start.
Anthony Davis: Lakers are ‘different team’ this season
Anthony Davis echoed Rui Hachimura’s thoughts on the start to the Lakers’ season, feeling they are a different team and putting the league on notice.
“I like where our team is,” Davis said. “Obviously there’s a lot that we can clean up on both ends of the floor, but we’ll definitely take those wins. I’d rather be able to clean up things with a win over a loss. It’s been a tough three games obviously with three familiar teams from the West. We’ve been able to hold our own and put the league on notice that we’re a different team. We want to come out and compete every night, whether we’re up 20 or down 20. We’re gonna continue to fight and we’re been able to be on the winning side of it the first three games.”
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