Getty Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
Following the Los Angeles Lakers’ 10th loss of the season, Anthony Davis cut a frustrated figure in his post-game press conference.
When asked about how the Lakers can turn things around, the superstar forward gave a candid response, focusing on his team figuring out how to close out games and string some wins together.
Hear from Anthony Davis after scoring 24 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in the loss to the Kings.
“We actually had a pretty decent third quarter, you know, for the first time, just got to be better overall…We just gotta get some wins, especially in the West. You know, every team is good. We’ve got a lot of basketball left, but we’ve dug ourselves a hole. So we gotta put some wins together, we’ve gotta start winning, ASAP…The energy around our locker room feels like 2-and-10, as it should. But we gotta start putting wins together, immediately,” Davis said.
Despite dealing with some back issues to begin the season, Davis has been a dominant presence within the Lakers rotation, averaging 23.1 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and two blocks per game while shooting 53.4% from the field. However, those types of numbers are an afterthought when you consider the dire situation Los Angeles currently finds itself in, and how difficult its path toward contention now appears to be.
Davis Sounds Off on Playing Center
During a November 9 post-game press conference, Davis gave another candid response to a reporter’s question, this time, focusing on his new role as the Lakers’ starting center, as opposed to the power forward role that he prefers to play.
AD is taking a direct shot at Rob Pelinka & Jeanie buss to get him some reliable big men. He’s never liked playing the 5, and plays better at the 4.
“I was able to roam a lot, I was playing the four then, JaVale (McGee) was playing the five, and Dwight (Howard) was playing the five. You know, guarding the perimeter and I got those guys behind me, or weakside helps, we were getting blocks from the weak side. Now, when I’m the five, I’m the one in the actions, pick-and-rolls, the one guarding the post – things like that…In 19-20, I was a roamer, when I can be on whoever the forward is and roam around and help protect everyone, it’s tough for me to do that when I’m guarding the five,” Davis told reporters during a post-game press conference.
Davis might prefer playing as the forward, but without a legitimate rim protector on the Lakers, his hands are tied, and considering the impressive performances he’s been logging to start the season, it’s clear why Darvin Ham prefers Davis manning the middle of the court.
Darvin Ham Bemoans Lakers Self-Inflicted Errors
Following the Lakers’ loss to the Sacramento Kings, Darvin Ham also provided a candid response when asked about his team’s inability to close out games, with the head coach noting that Los Angeles is inflicting too much damage onto themselves with unforced errors.
Darvin Ham addresses the media after the #Lakers 120-114 loss to the Kings.
“Self-inflicted mistakes. Whether we’re fouling, we lose an assignment, or we turn the ball over. Again, we’ve gotta be better, we gotta coach them harder, coach them better. Just make sure we’re communicating clearly, so we can put them in a position to be successful…We got 70 games left, but at some point, we’ve gotta stop saying that, right? We gotta start putting the proof in the pudding,” Ham told reporters.
The Lakers will be back in action on November 13, when they take on Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets, in the hope that they can snap their most recent losing streak.