(Note: This article is a translation of CHRIS MANNIX and does not represent the views of translators and platforms)
Davis may not be able to solve all of Los Angeles' problems, but if Tuesday's victory is a sign, his presence certainly helps.
In just one night, the world has seen the potential of the Lakers, and in the 48-minute game we seem to see the hope of the Lakers again. On Tuesday (Wednesday, Beijing time) the Lakers beat the Brooklyn Nets 106-96, who did not have Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, rotated 11 players in the first half to find the right lineup (Blake Griffin did not play), and relied on James Harden's 33 points to remain competitive.
Will Los Angeles beat the full-fledged Brooklyn? Who knows, but there's no denying that this is the best Lakers we've seen in recent times.
The Lakers have Anthony Davis, the big man who is prone to injury who missed the last 17 games because of a sprained left knee. Before the game, head coach Frank Vogel warned: "Davis needs a period of adjustment. "At first, Davis looked pretty good. In the first 15 seconds, he received a high ball from LeBron James and threw a mid-range shot on the next offense. He scored six points, two free throws and three blocks in the first half of the first quarter. While the trouble with the foul limited Davis' performance in the second half, overall, it was the Lakers' best 8 points in 25 minutes.
Vogel said: "He really changed our defense under the basket and we miss his pivotal role in our defence very much".
James said: "His presence makes our team more complete".
Davis' return caused a chain reaction. Russell Westbrook said: "His appearance is absolutely different, and it injects vitality into the Lakers' defense." Brooklyn shot 41.6 percent from the field and shot just 25.9 percent from three-point range. Better defense means more opportunities to switch offense, with the Lakers taking the upper hand with a 27-point fast-break score. Vogel said: "If we have an effective defense, we will become very dangerous. ”
With Davis back, it seems like everyone is playing well. Westbrook scored 15 points and Malik Munch came off the bench to score 22 points. Cameron Anthony scored 13 points, plus-minus +15, a team-high. Before the game, James urged the Los Angeles Lakers to have a sense of urgency, which they showed in the fourth quarter against the Heat. They trailed the Heat by 23 points in the fourth quarter, but almost brought the score back. The Lakers have the ability to do it, and that's enough to make Brooklyn lose the game.
James was excellent, even more so after Davis was injured. James averaged 33 points per game in Davis' absence, his 18th consecutive game with 26 or more. Against the Nets, James started well, scoring four points and one assist in the final minute of the first quarter to give the Lakers an eight-point lead. Performed better late in the game, with consecutive steals in the middle of the fourth quarter equalizing. James' performance on the offensive end was described by Davis as "hunting mode," during which time the 37-year-old pro provided strong evidence for MVP over a 19-year career.
James said: "I just told myself that nothing is more important than how you perform on the pitch and how you continue to lead these players. Whether it's a conversation outside the dressing room, or a team narrative, or anything else, it doesn't matter. Except for what I bring every night, nothing else matters. Regardless of the outcome, I can actively continue to lead these players. ”
"If I can play like I'm in this state, burst out and make the most of it. So, keeping a low profile and keeping a push forward is my motto. I have no excuses. I wouldn't make excuses for myself either."
But Davis isn't a panacea for the Lakers. When Davis retired from injury in mid-December, Los Angeles was 16-14. At that time, their schedule was the easiest in the league, and they had a chance to compete for sixth place. But Davis' three-point shooting percentage (17.9 percent) is one of his worst stats, and that number is embarrassing. In the few minutes that James and Davis were together, the Lakers' offensive efficiency and net score were only 4 points, while the Lakers' offensive efficiency and net score during that time were in third-to-last place.
Still, a healthy Davis gave the Lakers a chance. It took him four weeks to recover his legs and a week to adjust to the pitch. He said an exciting two-on-two game in Miami over the weekend with teammates DeAndre Jordan, Kent Bezemore and Wayne Ellington gave him confidence, gave him confidence that he was ready and said his body was "completely normal." ”
That's good because the Lakers' schedule is only going to get tougher. A trip to Philadelphia is looming on Thursday (US time) and back-to-back games in Charlotte will be played tomorrow night before the end of the road trip to Atalanta. But James said: "The longer we spend together, the more energetic we will be." ”
The Lakers will start their road trip with a 2-1 score and hope to build on that. Discussions about Vogel's job security have subsided, and talk of an impossible deal has begun to fade. The Lakers have come back, and they've been doing something for nearly half a season.
Westbrook said: "It doesn't matter what other people think of our team, what matters is that we figure it out ourselves." Hopefully we can play a few games together and find the rhythm... We will definitely do our best to do it. ”
(Ah Shuai)