Their victory on the Warriors floor after one of the best matches this season? How distant it already seems… Because since this meeting played only four days ago, the Lakers have suffered a heavy defeat in Houston, then the same thing last night in Atlanta.
After the victory against Stephen Curry's gang, their return to a positive result, a first since the end of December, was short-lived. Since the start of the season, the Californians have stood out for their inconsistency. They have never gone beyond four consecutive victories, and their last such streak dates back to early December, when they won the famous tournament.
“ We can beat any NBA team every night. And every night we can get our ass kicked by any team. These are (facts). What is our balance sheet? Less than 50%? 24 victories – 25 defeats? This is where we are », sums up, pragmatically, LeBron James, author of 20 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists last night.
Deprived of Anthony Davis for this trip to Atlanta, his team is perhaps not at the end of its troubles for this week: the Lakers continue Thursday in Boston, then Saturday in New York. LeBron James' speech to shake up his teammates?
“ I don't have any message for my teammates, just go out there and do your job. », he demands, however, without hiding his frustration, visibly having things to add about his playing partners. But at the same time, a communications manager thanks the journalists. The “King” then laughs yellow: “ It's a way of cutting me off, 'cause I was about to go home (to the point). ” Atmosphere…
Speaking of LeBron, he even threw an enigmatic emoji in the middle of the night in the United States. It's up to everyone to interpret it.
Christian Wood also frustrated?
Still on the subject of tweets, a micro event occurred before the meeting. About 30 minutes before kickoff, the Lakers announced the start of Jaxson Hayes, his second of the year, replacing “AD”. In the process, Christian Wood, propelled into the five during the other meeting missed by Davis this season, posted this enigmatic message: “ Lol “.
Frustrated interior replacement? “ I wanted to quote something. I thought I did it and hit send, and I couldn't check my phone first because we had to go (in the field), but it was an accident. I looked at it just now. It came out somehow. That's not what i meant », evacuates Wood, author of 9 points and 8 rebounds in 22 minutes, when his competitor contributed 6 points, 6 rebounds and 4 interceptions.
Regularly targeted by Californian fans for his rotation choices, Darvin Ham, absent from social networks, says he has not seen the message in question. “ There are many things he and all of us can do better. I thought he was solid overall tonight. We decided to keep him in his role which has been his for some time “, reports the coach.
Jarred Vanderbilt calls for a defensive five
The Lakers technician adds: “ We are constantly looking for balance within our five. This is not a popularity contest. We are looking to combine the players who will be most effective in helping us achieve a victory. » What about the case of Jarred Vanderbilt who has had a string of solid performances coming off the bench?
The latter, author of 12 points (6/6 shooting), 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 interceptions, also seems to be calling for a change in the hierarchy. “ I think we should be a defense-oriented team to start the game. Our defense should boost our offense. […] I obviously don't pay attention to the five. It's not up to me to decide. I just try to go out there and play hard every night. It's the only thing I can focus on, I'll let them take care of the rest », Refers the strong winger to a team of coaches who have no shortage of puzzles to resolve.
| Shots | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Bp | Int | Ct | Party | Pts |
| LeBron James | 43 | 34.7 | 52.3 | 39.9 | 73.6 | 0.9 | 6.5 | 7.4 | 7.7 | 3.3 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 25.0 |
| Anthony Davis | 46 | 35.9 | 55.4 | 31.5 | 80.5 | 3.2 | 8.9 | 12.1 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 24.9 |
| Angelo Russell | 44 | 30.8 | 47.8 | 42.1 | 79.4 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 6.1 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 17.3 |
| Austin Reaves | 48 | 30.6 | 48.4 | 34.3 | 87.3 | 0.8 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 5.2 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 14.9 |
| Rui Hachimura | 34 | 22.8 | 49.3 | 38.8 | 77.3 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 11.2 |
| Taurean Prince | 45 | 30.4 | 42.5 | 38.7 | 74.4 | 0.2 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 9.6 |
| Christian Wood | 42 | 18.1 | 47.1 | 31.6 | 69.5 | 0.8 | 4.5 | 5.3 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 7.1 |
| Cam Reddish | 35 | 23.3 | 40.5 | 33.7 | 78.3 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 6.7 |
| Gabe Vincent | 5 | 25.5 | 37.5 | 11.8 | 50.0 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 5.4 |
| Max Christie | 38 | 17.0 | 40.9 | 32.5 | 80.0 | 0.2 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 4.8 |
| Jared Vanderbilt | 27 | 20.0 | 49.5 | 25.0 | 66.7 | 1.4 | 3.3 | 4.7 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 4.7 |
| Skylar Mays | 3 | 8.8 | 60.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 4.7 |
| Colin Castleton | 5 | 6.4 | 66.7 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 3.2 |
| Dylan Windler | 1 | 5.3 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 |
| Jaxson Hayes | 37 | 9.6 | 68.1 | 0.0 | 55.2 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 3.0 |
| From me Hodge | 7 | 5.9 | 33.3 | 25.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 2.0 |
| Jalen Hood-schifino | 13 | 6.7 | 23.5 | 10.0 | 58.3 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 1.8 |
| Alex Fudge | 4 | 3.6 | 16.7 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.0 |
| Maxwell Lewis | 16 | 3.9 | 20.0 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 |
