The Lakers can't make excuses, winning is king
Before the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks game kicked off at Crypto Arena on Monday, a video was shown on JumboTron recapping the Lakers' journey to winning the midseason championship.
When the Lakers restarted after 20 minutes after a low-key flag-raising ceremony, the team on the court barely looked like the team that had the same championship potential nine days ago.
The Lakers stretched for the third time in four games, trailing by eight points at the end of the first quarter. The Knicks controlled the game, leading all the way to a 114-109 victory.
Since Las Vegas, the Lakers have lost three of their four games, dropping their record to 15-12 and finishing eighth in the brutal West. The Lakers' road has not been easy, and they will embark on a three-game arduous road trip against the strong Chicago Bulls, the first-ranked Minnesota Timberwolves and the second-placed Oklahoma City Thunder before returning to Los Angeles to face their opponents, Eastern Conference leaders Boston Celtics, on Christmas Day.
James said: "I felt like our energy was up and down throughout the game. We do feel it. ...... Back at home for the first time since December 5. Now we have to play away again tomorrow. But I feel like even after that, I felt like we played really well and gave myself a chance to stay on the pitch. But it was a tough game for us. "
According to James, the Lakers' post-Thanksgiving schedule is fraught with perilous, including five road trips, including a detour to Las Vegas for the midseason tournament. Of the last 37 days of 2023, they will end up spending 28 days away or on the road.
Monday was their first home game since Dec. 5, nearly two weeks ago. And it looks like their state is.
"It's tough," Davis said,...... It's definitely a mental challenge to play away from home like we have now. Fight against the away fans, the journey and the rush between the hotel. You start to get a little delusional, forgetting which room you're in and so on. But that's the nature of business. "
The Lakers have several downsides. Their previous 12 games, which consisted of nine away games, two back-to-back games and a title game against the Indiana Pacers, do not count towards their record and will be their 83rd game by the end of the season. Recently, a non-Covid flu spread in the dressing room, resulting in D'Angelo Russell missing a game, Darwin Hamm missing Sunday's training session and Christian Wood almost missing Monday's game. Meanwhile, Davis is battling hip and ankle injuries, Jared Vanderbilt has a lumbar cramp, Cam Reddish has right knee soreness, Hachimura is wearing a face mask after a broken nose, and Gabe Vincent remains sidelined.
James said, "Man, maybe there's a little bit of everything, I don't know. Have you seen Indiana's record since Las Vegas?"
One reporter gave the answer (1-4, all losses in double digits) and asked, is there any truth to the "post-Las Vegas hangover" claim?
James replied, "Yes, it is possible. ”
However, Ham has been vocal about the impact of injuries and the lack of continuity in the squad and rotation, and he has not called his team a victim.
"I'm not someone who likes to make excuses, and no one will feel sorry for you," Hamm said. ...... It's a marathon league. "
During that time, three of the Lakers' best players — James, Davis, and Reaves — have largely remained productive. Against the Knicks, James recorded his 109th triple-double (25 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists) for his second triple-double this season. Davis (32 points, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks) scored 30+ for the fourth straight game and shot 4-of-5 from the field, which was an encouraging sign for his jump shooting form. Reeves scored 20 points, the fifth time he's scored 20+ in his last seven games.
But the role players have been inconsistent, especially on Monday. Non-James/Davis starters shot just 8-of-32: 3-of-13 from Taurien Prince, 2-of-9 from Reddish and 3-of-10 from Russell. Hachimura played 17 minutes and scored eight points. Hayes played seven minutes and scored two points. The Vanderbilt team didn't attempt a shot for 14 minutes.
The inability to shoot and score from the perimeter — a problem the Lakers have had this season — has allowed the Knicks to stick to the interior. The Lakers tried to fight back with decisive long-range shots, and they made 41 three-pointers, the second-most in a single game this season. The problem is that they only hit 13 three-pointers (31.7 percent shooting).
"You're going to have nights like this, man, it's a make-or-die alliance," Hamm said. ...... All the opportunities we got tonight, I accept them every week, and twice on Sunday. So, you have to keep being aggressive and shoot if you're open. If you get in, it's good. If you don't make it, you have to keep your faith and keep trying to give yourself a chance, and I think we did. Even in the last moments, even when we were behind the score, we never stopped competing. ”
This also led to an anomalous gap in the Lakers on the inside. Including the midseason tournament, the Lakers have dominated opponents on the inside in 20 of their 27 games prior to Monday. But the Knicks beat the Lakers 62-52 on the inside, which was the Lakers' fourth-most interior loss this season.
"It's hard for us to score on the inside, they defend very carefully and stick to the inside," Hamm said. And constantly attacking you. ...... I think they're making us a little bit untenable. ”
The Knicks seem to be able to create high scores at any time, and Jalen Brunson is on the inside. Brunson scored 11 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter when Julius Randle (27 points, 14 rebounds) bounced off the basket a few times before falling into the basket and completing a fast-down dunk to close the game.
After the game, the general theme of the Lakers was to move forward, stay in the moment, and have one goal at a time. At this stage of the season, they are trying to prioritise their health, limiting training and maximizing sleep and recovery.
"We've got to rest and get fit," James said. We want to end December the right way. Obviously, the journey, the races and the stuff like that were fatal for us. A tired person cannot rest. We have to stay mentally focused and get ready for Chicago first as they win over the 76ers in Philadelphia tonight. So, look forward to this matchup. "
Now, the Lakers' black-and-gold midseason tournament flag hangs over the arena, proving what they can accomplish with a winning stare and near-fitness. For a variety of reasons – some out of their control, others within their control – they have not been able to regain that spirit in the four races since they received the accolade. For the rest of the month, their path will only get tougher. The challenge now is how to get out of the situation and win more consistently in a difficult environment.
"We've seen what we're capable of when we're 100 percent healthy," Davis said. We have to do that. Honestly, keep fighting. I mean, we don't have much more to say, nothing more to do. Accept the challenge. Every team is fighting. We still have to find a way to win. "