When the Lakers began the season, they looked like a threat to win it all. They had bettered their record from last year and many experts tabbed them as one of the favorites in each conference. But after Kobe Bryant’s injury and rumors that he could be traded at any time, this team has been plagued with misfortune ever since then. The most recent example was Sunday night against Portland when Los Angeles lost by 20 points despite being up 13-2 in less than three minutes into overtime; a game which saw Brandon Ingram ejected for throwing punches on Blazers player Seth Curry before D’Angelo Russell fouled out late into regulation play.;
The “lakers news” is the most recent Lakers update. The team has stumbled out of play, losing six in a row.
DALLAS, Texas — After a 128-110 defeat to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers find themselves on the outside looking in for the first time since the opening week of the regular season.
The Lakers trailed by as many as 37 points in the opening three quarters, playing without LeBron James (left ankle sprain) and Anthony Davis (right midfoot strain). Luka Doncic had a 30-point triple-double (34 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists).
“We simply didn’t execute well enough,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “We didn’t play with enough toughness, IQ, intelligence, attention, and fight.” “As a result, this is unacceptable, and the overall performance is terrible. Coaches, players, and everyone else.”
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With seven games left, L.A. is presently ranked 11th in the Western Conference. The Lakers and the No. 10 San Antonio Spurs both have a 31-44 record, but the Spurs hold the tiebreaker.
Looking forward to the rest of the season, the Lakers have a 4-10 record against their last six opponents. (They have two games against the Denver Nuggets.) The Spurs are 5-11 against their remaining six opponents. (The Spurs face the Portland Trail Blazers twice.) The Nuggets (45-31) are ranked sixth in the Western Conference. The Blazers (27-48) are ranked No. 12 in the NBA, but will be without star Damian Lillard for the remainder of the season.
Both James and Davis will be assessed again on Thursday to determine their availability for L.A.’s game against the Utah Jazz on Thursday night, according to Vogel. Davis, who has been out since February 16, is expected to return against the No. 9 New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, according to ESPN.
Tuesday’s performance was about as bad as it has been for the Lakers in a season already full of disappointment. The 82 points they gave up in the first half were the second most allowed in a first half in franchise history, narrowly avoiding the record set when the Boston Celtics hung 83 on them in the first half on Feb. 27, 1959, according to data compiled by ESPN Stats & Information.
Los Angeles’ 26-point halftime deficit on Tuesday, coupled with New Orleans’ 28-point second-half outscoring on Sunday, equaled the worst points differential for the Lakers in the shot clock era, minus-54.
When asked whether dropping out of the play-in increases the Lakers’ urgency, Vogel stated, “The standings are the outcomes.” “We need to be focused on the process, the effort, and the things that will lead to the next victory. That is the sole area on which we will concentrate our efforts.”
Russell Westbrook, who had 25 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in 32 minutes on the court but was part of a Los Angeles Lakers team that was outscored by 25 points, added another heated postgame discussion with a reporter to his season résumé.
When asked what changes for L.A. now that it has to compete for a spot in the play-in round, Westbrook said, “There’s nothing there, buddy. Nothing.”
Westbrook jumped up from his interview table and said, “What do you think should change?” when the reporter asked why nothing had changed.
According to the reporter, “Westbrook resumed the back-and-forth by asking, “That’s OK.” Have you figured out how to win? Have you figured out how to win?”
After a few more seconds of conversation, Westbrook spotted a video camera pointing in his way and altered his tone, giving the reporter a half-hug before exiting the room.
He said, “We chill.” “You’ve got to create a record of it.”
The Lakers are currently 4-13 since the All-Star break, which is on track to be the team’s second-worst post-All-Star break victory % in club history.
“We just got whupped in the buttocks. To the point, “Stanley Johnson, a forward with the Los Angeles Lakers, stated. “So, whatever spirit they were, they kicked us in the shins. The game was dominated by 30 points for the most of the time. I’m not sure how else to phrase it. We have to do much better than that.”
The Los Angeles Lakers stumbled out of play in the first quarter. They would go on to lose by 16 points. Reference: lakers 2021.
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