The Los Angeles Lakers have been through a lot this season. They struggled with injuries and bad fits on the court, causing them to flunk their way through the regular season. But through it all, Anthony Davis remained determined to win.
In this article, we will discuss how Anthony Davis and the Lakers rebuilt their roster and season to become a playoff contender. We will look at their struggles, their successes, and what it took to get them to where they are today.
The Struggles
When things with the Lakers were at their worst, Anthony Davis would tighten his lips, widen his eyes, and stare blankly across the room while his feet rested inside a giant ice bucket. It was becoming too familiar of a routine — lose, soak, and sulk.
The Lakers had bad fits on the court, and more subtle wrinkles holding the team back off of it. But despite the struggles, Davis remained determined to win.
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The Rebuild
As the Lakers rebuilt their roster and season, a new feeling took over. It was why Davis wanted to be a Laker in the first place. “I came here to win,” Davis said. “It’s a winning franchise. First year we get it done. Second year, had my sprain in the knee in the playoffs and then it was a shorter offseason. … weird Year 2. And Year 3, we just [had] injuries and just totally flunked that season. So it feels good to get back into a winning culture, winning ways."
From this season, starting 2-10 and winning a lot of basketball games, it put us in a position to be in a play-in and control our destiny.”
The Successes
The position the Lakers are in now, hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night with a chance to win their way into the playoffs, is hardly the bar that separates success from failure with the Lakers. But relative to where this team not only was but where it seemed headed, finishing the regular season four games over .500 certainly merits acknowledgment.
Davis finished the season playing in 29 of the Lakers’ final 31 games, averaging 25.1 points and 13 rebounds. The Lakers went 19-10 with Davis on the court, with LeBron James only playing 15 times in those last 31. The two games Davis missed both were the second nights of back-to-back games, the Lakers splitting the pair.
“We needed all of those minutes, all of those wonderful moments, all of those spectacular performances,” coach Darvin Ham said after Lakers practice Monday.
The Road Ahead
They’ll be healthy favorites when they take the court Tuesday against the Timberwolves, who will be without starters Rudy Gobert (suspension) and Jaden McDaniels (broken hand), the results of two ill-timed punches that struck a teammate and a wall, respectively.
The winner of that game will play second-seeded Memphis in the first round of the playoffs.
For Davis, just like the Lakers, this stretch has been a bit of a return to prominence. Tuesday will be the Lakers’ first postseason game in front of a full home crowd during James’ tenure. The Orlando, Fla., bubble and partial crowds late in the following season meant the stars haven’t experienced the biggest games in a fully energized home arena.
As Davis continued to have big games, defensive game plans were again authored to stop him as the focal point, with him drawing double and even some triple teams during games.
The last three Laker games, Davis has been held to below 20 points, the only time this season that’s happened three times in a row.
“Other guys are chipping in with the scoring responsibilities,”said Davis during a recent postgame interview. “That’s what we need. It’s not just about me. It’s about the whole team.”
Indeed, the Lakers have seen contributions from role players such as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, and Andre Drummond in recent games. But make no mistake, the Lakers’ success in the playoffs will largely depend on the health and production of Davis and James.
“We know what we’re capable of,” Davis said. “We’ve been through the ups and downs of the regular season, and we’re ready for this playoff run.”
As the Lakers prepare to make another championship push, all eyes will be on Davis and James to see if they can replicate their dominant playoff performances from two years ago. With the playoffs beginning Tuesday, the Lakers’ journey back to the top starts now.
In addition to the scoring help, Davis has also been vocal about the importance of team defense and communication. He believes that their success in the playoffs will depend on their ability to lock down on defense and limit their opponents' scoring opportunities.
"We know we're capable of scoring, but defense is what's going to win us games," Davis said in a recent postgame interview. "We have to communicate and make sure we're all on the same page, and that starts with me. I have to be a leader on the defensive end and set the tone for the team."
The Lakers will be looking to Davis to lead the way both offensively and defensively as they embark on their playoff journey. With his talent and leadership, he has the ability to carry the team to another championship. It remains to be seen if he can replicate his performance from the 2020 NBA Finals, but one thing is for sure: Anthony Davis will be a key factor in the Lakers' success this postseason.
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