The Los Angeles Lakers 112-109 win was special for the side considering they did without their superstar duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
This feat had former Laker James Worthy not just laud the team, but also break down the psyche of the short-handed squad, who were also without the services of Lonnie Walker IV.
Dennis Schroder led the way for the Lakers with 32 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. Also playing their parts were Russell Westbrook (21 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists) and Thomas Bryant (21 points, 9 rebounds, and 1 assist).
While Davis continues to recover from the stress fracture he sustained against the Denver Nuggets, a non-COVID illness ruled James out of the contest. The in-form veteran’s absence was a big blow, but LA held their own and notched up a steely win.
Worthy shared his thoughts on the Lakers’ mentality. Per a tweet by Lakers Daily:
James Worthy on the Lakers' mentality tonight without LeBron: "You walk in the classroom and the teachers aren't there that day. You're gonna have some fun."
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) January 5, 2023
James Worthy on the Lakers’ mentality tonight without LeBron: “You walk in the classroom and the teachers aren’t there that day. You’re gonna have some fun.”
The Lakers’ win against Miami makes it their third win in a row and improves their record to 17-21.
Why The Win Against The Miami Heat Is A Massive Victory For The Los Angeles Lakers?
The answer is fairly straightforward — they did without James and Davis. And for a squad that has constantly been under fire, this win serves as a massive confidence booster. However, it also sheds light on the dire need for an upgrade, even if means letting go of their picks, especially if one of the starters in the game went down with an injury.
While the likes of Schroder, Westbrook, and Reaves have been chipping in, the Lakers roster can still use some players who help them on the offensive front.
Westbrook’s comments after the game highlighted LA’s supreme effort to carve out a close three-point win.
“Compete. Our guys are down. We got a bunch of feisty young guys ready to compete and today, we competed our ass off. Big win. Excuse my language.”
The win doesn’t necessarily put the Lakers out of the woods yet. They’re still four games away from the .500 mark, and still wouldn’t make the play-in. However, they can expect to have James back in their next contest against the Atlanta Hawks at home, and extend their purple patch.
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