Ouch, the Lakers just had a rough weekend, taking two Ls back-to-back. First, they got stung by the Magic with a buzzer-beater from Franz Wagner, and then they got completely steamrolled by the Nuggets, losing by 25 points.
Nuggets Keep Haunting the Lakers
JJ Redick, in his first year coaching the Lakers, had a lot to say after that Denver disaster. The Nuggets, led by Michael Malone, have been a real thorn in the Lakers’ side lately. This time, they handed LA a brutal 127-102 loss. Redick didn’t hold back, calling out his team’s lack of fight as the main culprit. They started strong and even led by six at halftime, but the second half was a different story.
JJ Redick before vs after the Nuggets/Lakers game
“In some ways they have some problems that are unsolvable at times”
โ n i k o l a e s t h e t i c (@nikolaesthetic)
Third Quarter Meltdown
What went wrong in the third quarter? Redick pointed to the team’s sagging spirit. โSchematically, certainly weโll have to review some stuff,โ he said postgame. โClearly, the spirit to compete just wasnโt thereโฆ Weโll solve it like we solve other problems, but actually, weโll do that internally.โ I think he’s onto something here; you can’t win games if your heart’s not in it.
Anthony Davis chimed in too, admitting their performance tanked in the second half. โWe were bad in the third quarter,โ he confessed. Only 15 points in the third? That’s not gonna fly against any team, let alone the Nuggets. Maybe it’s time to rethink their defensive strategy or something.
Not Haunted by the Past
Despite the Nuggets having ousted the Lakers from the playoffs in the 2022-23 season, both Redick and Davis dismissed the idea that past losses were haunting them. โBecause of this team? No. I mean, I personally donโt. Iโm not sure about anyone else, but I donโt think it does,โ Davis said. It’s all about the here and now, folks.
They’ve had games where they shined in the first half but fizzled out later, yet still managed to scrape by with a win. So, what’s the deal? In my opinion, consistency is key. You can’t just play one good half and expect to win.
Looking Ahead
With two more road games lined up against the Suns and Spurs, the Lakers need to shake off these losses and get back on track. Can they turn it around, or will this be a season-long struggle? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure: they need to bring their A-game from start to finish. What do you thinkโwill the Lakers bounce back, or are we in for a rollercoaster season?
