Anthony Davis gets torched online by angry Lakers fans.
The Lakers had high hopes of securing a victory against the Utah Jazz on Saturday, but instead, they added another loss to their record with a final score of 132-127 after four quarters.
The absence of LeBron James from the lineup made this result less surprising for Lakers fans, but it was still a subpar performance from Anthony Davis, who managed to score only 15 points while shooting a disappointing 5-21 from the field.
While Anthony Davis is widely recognized for his defensive prowess, he has consistently struggled with offensive consistency throughout his career, and this was glaringly evident in this game.
With all eyes on him to step up and fill the void left by LeBron, the pressure seemed to affect his offensive output.
Despite a valiant effort from the Lakers, they fell short, leaving them with a season record of 19-21 and sitting two games below .500.
It’s clear that there is growing concern and a sense of urgency within the Lakers organization as the season progresses. The need for a turnaround becomes more pressing with each passing game.
While there are no quick and easy fixes available, the possibility of making some strategic trades to reshape the roster looms as a potential solution for the Lakers to regain their competitiveness in the Western Conference.
Lakers fans have had a complex relationship with Anthony Davis.
While recognizing his immense importance to the team, they have also expected him to step up and assume the role of the team’s leader and best player, especially as LeBron James takes a step back.
Despite Davis’ impressive statistical averages of 25.3 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game on efficient shooting, fans still demand more from him. They anticipated him being the torchbearer for the Lakers, and the pressure is mounting for him to fulfill those expectations and lead the team to success.
Tonight, after his questionable performance in the game, Davis was the subject of overwhelming scrutiny by fans who demanded better from the 1x champion.
The crazy thing is, it was a pretty solid night for the rest of the cast. D’Angelo Russell finished with his best game in weeks at 39 total points and Austin Reaves also stepped up to deliver some quality minutes. But the Lakers only go as far as Anthony Davis takes them, and he didn’t take them far tonight.
While Davis did have 11 assists and 15 rebounds in the game, the Lakers needed him to be more aggressive and efficient in scoring the ball and he wasn’t able to do that with the game on the line.
The Lakers next play against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, which is shaping up to be a very important game for both sides. And while the outcome remains to be seen, expect the Lakers to come out with some major desperation, regardless of whether or not LeBron James is playing.
Trade Deadline Is Looming
Tomorrow is when most players become trade-eligible and it’s likely when we’ll see the rumor mill really ramp up for the Lakers. Already, a number of potential deals have emerged and all of them involve getting the Lakers some help on the perimeter to space the floor and open up the lane for the stars.
Names like Zach LaVine, Dejounte Murray, and others have all been linked to the Lakers and it’s clear they are looking for some pure scores to help stop the bleeding. Either way, don’t expect the Lakers to stand PAT this summer with LeBron James giving everything he has in his final good years of play.
