The Memphis Grizzlies evened the first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers at 1-1 after a 93-103 Game 2 win at home.
The Lakers were expected to dominate by many, especially with Ja Morant being hurt. But the Grizz were able to handle their business, much to the delight of anti-Laker fans.
1-1, series moves to Los Angeles pic.twitter.com/daDaPuqJyl
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 20, 2023
The Lakers didn’t look like the juggernaut we saw in Game 1, which fans noticed.
Lakers in Game 1 vs Lakers in Game 2 pic.twitter.com/yOBGGur7q0
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) April 20, 2023
D’Angelo Russell’s struggles, coupled with Russell Westbrook’s success on the Clippers, means Russ fans are coming in droves to attack D’Lo.
Lakers fans watching DLo in the playoffs: pic.twitter.com/5FDSSCJyKy
— Beastbrook (@Beastbr00k0) April 20, 2023
Desmond Bane had 17 points in an inefficient showing but hit some big shots that Laker fans will remember him for.
Lakers getting cooked by this guy 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/YDESNH4TpT
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) April 20, 2023
A fan was shocked that the Lakers lost to the Grizz without Steven Adams, Brandon Clarke, and of course, Ja Morant.
THE FULLY HEALTHY LOS ANGELES LAKERS JUST LOST TO A TEAM WITHOUT STEVEN ADAMS, JA MORANT, AND BRANDON CLARKE
— Cole 𝕏 (@CREAMYCOLE_) April 20, 2023
The lazy way the Lakers played aggravated fans a lot.
THESE LAKERS JUST KNOW HOW TO PISS ME OFF MAN LOCK THE FUCK IN pic.twitter.com/FpWIMGkH63
— K.BO XXV 🗽🐺 (@KBO_XXV) April 20, 2023
Even analyst Jason Timpf criticized them for playing down to the level of their opposition.
The fact that most Lakers fans saw this type of performance coming tells you all you need to know.
All season long, as soon as they become the favorites, they’ve let their foot WAY off the gas. Didn’t start *really* defending in this game until they were down by 20. Too late.
— Jason Timpf (@_JasonLT) April 20, 2023
The Lakers and Grizzlies shot and made the exact same number of free throws, 16-21 for the game.
https://twitter.com/Number9IsDaLife/status/1648869969428377600
LeBron James tried his best to keep the Lakers in the contest with 28 points and 12 rebounds, but a shockingly bad performance by Anthony Davis hurt them. AD scored just 13 points on 28.6% shooting from the field, almost sabotaging the Lakers’ progress in this contest.
The Grizzlies had six players score in double-digits, using their strength in numbers to pull off the win. Xavier Tillman was the best Grizz, scoring 22 points and grabbing 13 rebounds.
Can The Lakers Win Both Games At Home?
Losing Game 2 wasn’t a good look for the Lakers. A 2-0 series lead is always going to feel better than a 1-1 tied series, so they’ll be upset they let this game slip away. We do not know whether Ja Morant will be back for Game 3, but it’s fair to assume the star will do everything he can to return in time.
We thought the Lakers were just the better team, but if Anthony Davis has performances like the one he had tonight, the Lakers do not stand a chance. Home court will give the franchise a massive boost, and they’ll push to ensure the series is 3-1 before they have to head back to Memphis for Game 5 of the series.
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