On March 14, Beijing time, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Phoenix Suns 111-140 on the road, and from the opening stage of the game, the Lakers were in no state, the defensive end was completely free, and the offensive end was also disorderly.
The Lakers conceded 48 points in the first quarter, allowing the Suns to tie the record for the second highest score in the first quarter of team history. With such an unsightly defense, the Lakers set a record for their highest number of points conceded in the first quarter since the 1954-55 season.
Whether it is the interior defense or the transformation of the offense, the Lakers are like sleepwalking, no one is going to fight, more are waiting for the game to end early. Even Russell Westbrook, when he saw that someone on the bench was about to replace him at the beginning of the final quarter, went up to a deliberate foul, clocked in early to leave work, and showed a completely unintended mood after the end of the season.
Even the Lakers coaching staff changed their starting lineup in the first and second halves, pulling out Dwight Howard, which they had completely abandoned in the past two games, to try to top Ayton. Imagine that the opposing team has a tall center, but the Lakers insisted on the consistent starter before the game, and the penalty area has long been chiseled through, only to remember that there is a large center in the team that has not yet been activated.
The Lakers' matchup with the league number one seems to have been scattered before the game and ready for rout. The loss of control of the coaching staff, the helplessness of the players, this is far from the problem that can be solved by changing the coach and replacing two or three players, the Lakers whose mentality has collapsed, how to end in the remaining schedule?