The Los Angeles Lakers have started a season 3-0 for the first time in 14 years, vaulted by new head coach JJ Redick. Redick has actively tried to spotlight Anthony Davis as the team’s No. 1 option, with Davis dominating through the first three games. Forward Rui Hachimura was asked about Davis’ performances this season, allowing him to take a shot at the unorganized nature of the Lakers under Darvin Ham while speaking to the media.
“I think it’s the same but he’s more aggressive now. We have the system now to kind of play and build around him and LeBron. We understand we have more chemistry now and he’s great at passing too, so it’s hard for the teams to guard. We play together.”
Davis has started the season averaging 34.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals, and 2.3 blocks through three games, emerging as a legitimate MVP candidate for the first time since 2019-20.
The Lakers are determined to make a deep Playoff run with the roster they have right now, with Hachimura elaborating on the same during his press conference.
“I told you guys before the season started, last year we were kind of messing around, like you guys saw that. Just the lineup, everything, injuries and all that. We didn’t have kind of the mindset of ‘OK, let’s take No. 1 in the West.’ We didn’t have that mindset, but this year I think we have that since we started training camp.”
“I think we know that we have to be good and we just think about the playoffs. It’s the long run, but you just got to kind of think about how we want to beat all of these other teams. So I think each game is gonna be important for us.”
Hachimura is averaging 16.7 points and 7.0 rebounds this season, thriving off the movement-heavy offense that Redick has introduced. He’s getting some of the easiest buckets of his career playing off Davis and LeBron James, making incredible runs to the rim while losing defenders for easy buckets.
Davis put up 31 points, nine rebounds, three steals, and two blocks in the Lakers’ latest win over the Sacramento Kings.
Anthony Davis Has Been A Revelation For The Lakers
Fans and analysts will remember last season that Davis was having 6-8 minute stretches where he would have absolutely no offensive involvement. Davis was getting one or two touches over large stretches of the game, even in the fourth quarter. What JJ Redick is doing with him is the antithesis of that.
Davis frankly reflected on how they’ve been playing this season during his own postgame media availability.
“I like where our team is. Obviously there’s a lot that we can clean up on both ends of the floor, but we’ll definitely take those wins. I’d rather be able to clean up things with a win over a loss. It’s been a tough three games obviously with three familiar teams from the West.”
“We’ve been able to hold our own and put the league on notice that we’re a different team. We want to come out and compete every night, whether we’re up 20 or down 20. We’re gonna continue to fight and we’re been able to be on the winning side of it the first three games.”
With three wins over Playoff contenders like the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, and Sacramento Kings, the Lakers will rematch against the Suns in their next game tomorrow.
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