Getty Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma.
When the Los Angeles Lakers embarked on a tough three-game road trip this week, there were plenty doubting the team’s 17-3 record.
The Lakers lost just one game in the month of November as they reeled off a 14-1 record, but the critics were quick to point out just three of those teams emerged from the month with winning records.
On top of that, the Lakers were just 3-3 against teams that were over .500 and had just been wiped out by a Luka Doncic-led Dallas squad 114-100.
But after a 3-0 road trip where the Lakers knocked off the Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers in dominant fashion the haters have to find a new slant.
“Everybody is just going to say something about us just because we’re the Lakers and we’re winning,” Kyle Kuzma told The Athletic on Friday. “A lot of people are probably jealous of us.”
“We’ve played a lot of teams. We played a lot of tough road games,” Kuzma added. “It’s tough to win in San Antonio, tough to win in Denver, tough to win in Utah, tough to win in Dallas.”
That’s a sentiment veteran forward Jared Dudley agrees with. The outspoken bench player posted to Twitter following the team’s 121-96 win in Utah: “Have we still not played anybody good yet?????”
Have we still not played anybody good yet???????
It’s not like the Lakers don’t pass the eye test. The have two of the best players in the game in Anthony Davis and LeBron James, who are combining to average more than 50 points a night. On top of that, the team has embraced a defense-first attitude, ranking third in the NBA in defensive rating even without the services of stopper Avery Bradley.
Lakers Are 11-0 Away From Staples Center This Season
A key part of the Lakers success has been their ability to take the show on the road. The team is 11-0 on the road this season, and their 11 straight road wins are the most by a Lakers team since 1972-73.
11-0 away from STAPLES 😱
The ‘Access SportsNet’ panel talks about @AntDavis23‘s night (39 PTS, 9 REB, 3 BLK, 2 STL) and the chemistry the #Lakers continue to show on and off the court.
@geeter3 @Mike_Bresnahan @JamesWorthy42 @derekfisher
“Obviously on the road you have to come together even more,” Anthony Davis said after putting up 39 points, nine rebounds, three blocks and two steals against the Blazers. “Three tough environments to win in and we’re able to come in and take all three. But we have our mind set on something special.”
Davis agreed with Kuzma that the Lakers have a bright red target on the back of their purple and gold jerseys. Not only will the critics look for reasons to doubt them, but they need to expect every team’s best effort each time out.
“When you’re the No. 1 team in the league, people are going to find a way to come out and shoot a higher field-goal percentage than what they normally shoot, find ways to make plays, to get stops, play harder and we got to embrace that,” Davis said.
Lakers Team Chemistry Shines in Viral Photo
Any Lakers fan who has been on the internet in the past 24 hours has likely encountered the viral photo of the team on the jet out of Portland that multiple players posted.
Lakers center Dwight Howard captured the meaning of the photo in his caption.
“I’m so grateful and humbled by the most high heavenly one for orchestrating this team,” Howard wrote. “I look at this pic and I see greatness. We are more than conquerors. We have all been through pain. And we see the light at the end of the tunnel. But we all know we can only get there together.
The Lakers host the Timberwolves on Sunday but then hit the road for a five-game Eastern Conference swing, starting with the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.
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