After the Los Angeles Lakers dropped to 1-3 on their road trip, Anthony Davis didn’t hold back in addressing the team’s inconsistencies. Speaking with reporters, Davis pointed out the stark contrast between the Lakers’ performances from one half to the next, describing a “two-faced” team that shows flashes of greatness but can’t seem to sustain it.
“There’s two different teams right now. One game, we’re this team when we showcase to be one of the better teams in the league. Then the next, we’re this team, I don’t even know who we are. So, it’s got to be better. It’s only the start of the game, obviously.”
“But we just got to be better as players to come out, execute a game plan, and do what we’re supposed to do on both ends of the floor. You know, some halves we get it, some halves we don’t.”
“Some quarters we do, some quarters we don’t. So we got to put a full 48 together, but we can’t continue to do this, if expect to do anything this season.”
This road trip has showcased those extremes. The Lakers started against the Phoenix Suns on 28th October and lost a close game, 109-105. The loss was largely due to a rough second quarter offensively, where they scored only 14 points, shooting just 27.3% from the field and 20.0% from three-point range.
Against the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers on 30th October, the Lakers were blown out 134-110, primarily due to a disastrous first quarter in which they were outscored 42-23. The Lakers’ defense struggled significantly in the opening quarter, allowing the Cavaliers to shoot an astounding 77.3% from the field and 61.5% from beyond the arc.
In their November 1st game against the Toronto Raptors, the Lakers turned in a phenomenal first half, outscoring the Raptors by 25 points and shooting 62.2% from the field and 41.7% from three. On defense, they stifled Toronto, holding them to 39.3% from the field and just 14.3% from beyond the arc. This is the version of the Lakers that could compete with the best teams in the league—a team that locks in defensively and executes offensively.
However, the second half of that same game revealed the other, less favorable side of the Lakers. The team’s efficiency plummeted, shooting just 32.6% from the field and 30.0% from three, allowing the Raptors to stage a comeback. Their defense fell apart, with Toronto hitting 58.8% of their shots, including 38.1% from beyond the arc. They managed to hold out to win 135-129 but there were genuine concerns.
Davis’s frustrations deepened after the loss to the Detroit Pistons (115-103) on November 4th, where the Lakers fell behind by 14 points in the first half and allowed the Pistons to shoot 54.0% from the field. The Pistons, not typically known for their offensive prowess, took advantage of the Lakers’ sluggish rotations and lack of intensity, with players like Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey finding easy scoring opportunities.
Davis’s message was clear: the Lakers can’t afford to be a team that shows up for only parts of games. For the Lakers to be taken seriously as contenders, they’ll need to bring that defensive intensity and offensive execution consistently across all quarters.
Head coach JJ Redick has echoed Davis’s sentiments, emphasizing the importance of effort and focus. The Lakers will need to regroup quickly and find a way to stay locked in, as sporadic brilliance won’t be enough to succeed in a competitive Western Conference.
The Lakers will aim to bounce back in their upcoming matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies on November 6th in the final game of this five-game road trip. Tip-off is set for 8:00 PM EST at the FedEx Forum in Memphis.
If Davis and Redick’s words resonate, the Lakers could find the consistency they need to contend; if not, their season could continue to be a frustrating ride of highs and lows.
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