This is what you’re supposed to do as a 12pt home favorite with a coupla days rest against a team that hasn’t won a game in damn near 3 weeks. Whipping up on these lottery teams is one of the few things we’ve been pretty consistent at this season. Unfortunately, we won’t be facing any of them once mid-April rolls around…..
….and here comes the bucket of cold water
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December 29, 2023 1 Comment
More from Jovan:
“I think, for the most part, it’s figuring out really what we want our identity to be,” Reaves said. “At this point, we would like to 100 percent know, but it’s hard because we’ve not had a full roster. Guys have been in and out. But to really figure out what we want to do as a team, I feel like we can be so versatile that sometimes it might hurt us a little bit. … I believe that every time we step on the court, we can beat anybody we play. But just really figuring out what our identity is, in my opinion, the main thing, because we can be so good when we figure that out.”
When relayed Reaves’ comments, Davis agreed, but reframed the group’s versatility as an asset that allows them to solve problems on the fly.
“We got good problems,” Davis said. “… We got a lot of different lineups. Obviously, you want to stick with one lineup and kind of have it set where guys know their rotations and where they’re going to get their shots and where they’re going to play. But if we need to make an adjustment, we can always throw anybody in the spot because a lot of guys on our team can actually go anywhere and start.”
The Lakers close out 2023 with a brutal road back-to-back in Minnesota on Saturday and New Orleans on Sunday. Minnesota is a West-best 23-7, and New Orleans has won six of nine games since getting embarrassed by the Lakers in Las Vegas.
Ham said that both James and Davis are expected to be available in both games — and not on a minutes restriction.
“Those guys are highly competitive and it’s two teams that’s gonna be right in the mix,” Ham said. “One is at the top of the Western Conference. One is surging. So I expect those guys to have themselves ready and available. I don’t know if a minute restriction applies, or a minute zone applies, when you’re dealing with this high-level basketball to finish the calendar year.”
The two games offer a chance to gain ground on teams ahead of them in the standings as they continue to find their identity. After that, 11 of their next 15 games in January are in Los Angeles, where the team is 11-4. (They’re 6-11 on the road.)
“I think we were in the game in Minnesota, and that was without LeBron.” Davis said of the Lakers’ 118-111 loss to the Timberwolves on Dec. 21. “We just got to continue to do what we do. We got to defend. … And it’s a team that we’re trying to catch. And same thing for New Orleans. I think they’re ahead of us right now and we’re trying to catch them as well. So, two important games to close out ‘23.”