After suffering a blowout loss to the Brooklyn Nets last night, the Los Angeles Lakers are in full reflection mode as they look for any solution to their struggles. Speaking to the media this week, Lakers big man Anthony Davis opened up on where the Lakers are and how he sees them right now amid their ongoing struggles.
“I wouldn’t say concerning,” Davis said, via The Athletic. “It’s frustration, for sure. Concern is when you know that you’re not a good team and you can’t do it. Frustration comes from the point where we know what we can do. We’ve shown it, and we’re not doing it. So it’s more frustrating than concerning for me.”
As part of the squad that won the title in 2020, we’ve already seen Anthony Davis deliver when it matters most. But since that title win years ago, the Lakers have been a shell of themselves and the rest of the West has finally caught up. This season, while the Lakers still have time to turn things around, the concern level grows with each loss and the margin for error grows slimmer and slimmer.
The Lakers Are In Trouble
After a hot start in the opening weeks, the Lakers have taken a dive down the standings. After going 4-6 in their last 10 and just 7-13 since winning the In-Season Tournament, the Lakers are 10th in the standings behind the Jazz, Suns, Kings, and Mavericks, among others. The most concerning part of their struggles is that LeBron James and Anthony Davis have been mostly healthy this season and have played in all but a handful of games. Somehow, it still hasn’t been enough to get them over the hump.
So, with no answers internally and nowhere else to look for reinforcements, the Lakers will likely try their hand at the trade market this season, and they will have to give up some major assets to get something done. Whether it’s Zach LaVine, Bruce Brown, or some other quality role-player, the Lakers will be on the hunt for various players and they will spare no expense to salvage what’s left of this season. But even if they do make a move, it still may not be enough to get the Lakers past the top Conference elites, like the Timberwolves, Thunder, and defending champion Denver Nuggets.
Anthony Davis Needs To Take Over
At almost 40 years old, LeBron James is in no position to lead the Los Angeles Lakers. Moving forward, it should be Anthony Davis who takes the helm and steps up as “the guy” on a nightly basis. At 25.2 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game this season, Davis’ stats are fine enough on their own but he needs to do more for this Lakers team to reach their ultimate potential. Unfortunately, Davis is known for his inconsistency and he has yet to become the kind of transcendent superstar the Lakers need him to be.
With a game against the 12-29 Trail Blazers on Sunday, it will be a good chance for the Lakers to get a win and stop the bleeding before it goes too far. If not, the panic will start to set in for the Lakers and could lead to desperation trades before the deadline. At this point, the season rests on Anthony Davis’ shoulders, and how far he is able to carry them is how far they will go this year.
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