Getty The pressure is on Lakers superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Shaquille O’Neal teamed up with Kobe Bryant to win three of his four NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, and the legend admitted he needs to see more from L.A.’s superstars if the team hopes to add another championship banner. During TNT’s Inside the NBA, O’Neal singled out LeBron James and Anthony Davis noting Los Angeles needs more from the “one-two punch for the Lakers.”
“The one-two punch for the Lakers, they gotta play better,” O’Neal explained. “They got to set the tone. Sometimes when I watch A.D., he’s floating. Me and Chuck [Charles Barkley], we hate to see him float. Dominate on the inside. You’re bigger, you’re quicker, shoot over the top. If his shots aren’t going, he’ll fade away and then he’ll try to come back.”
Here is a look at O’Neal discussing the Lakers’ struggles against the Suns.
“The one-two punch for the Lakers gotta play better” – @SHAQ on the Lakers
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Shaq to A.D.: ‘Phoenix Has Poked the Bear Tonight, What Are You Going to Do to Respond?’
O’Neal saved his most pointed comments for Davis using the “poke the bear” analogy the Lakers center discussed after L.A.’s play-in game victory over the Warriors. The Lakers legend outlined what he needs to see from Davis for the Lakers to turn things around in Game 2.
“You know, he [Davis] made a comment about Golden State poking the bear,” O’Neal continued. “Phoenix has poked the bear tonight, what are you going to do to respond? I see them having a better Game 2 and hopefully, they can turn it on. However, Phoenix ain’t messing around. Phoenix is disciplined. They control every possession. They don’t really care who’s getting the most credit and they play well, and I would love to see Ayton go 10 out of 11 again, but the Lakers cannot let that happen.”
Davis on Lakers’ Game 1 Loss to Suns: ‘This Is on Me’
Davis’ own comments after the Lakers’ Game 1 loss were not that much different than O’Neal’s message. The Lakers big man had 13 points, seven rebounds and three blocks going just five-of-16 from the floor. Davis took the blame for the Lakers’ Game 1 woes after his subpar performance.
“There’s no way we’re winning a game, let alone a series with me playing the way I played,” Davis explained in his postgame press conference. “So, this is on me. I take full responsibility, for sure. We’ll be better Game 2.”
Davis admitted he was never able to get into an offensive rhythm just a few weeks after posting 42 points against the Suns in the regular season. The Lakers superstar believes he needs to be more aggressive at the start of games moving forward in the series.
“Usually, I come out the gates very dominant, and I think today we had it going,” Davis added. “Bron hit a couple threes, we get into the paint [with Drummond]. So, I kind of just got lost in the offense, but I still have to be assertive and find ways to get the ball. It just kind of took me out of rhythm, but that’s on me. I still got to find ways to make plays on that end of the floor, offensively. Like I say, it’s on me. I’m not too worried about my performance. I know I’ll be better. I know we’ll be better in Game 2 as a whole.”