Anthony Davis Calls for Urgency After Lakers Fourth Consecutive Loss

 

After the Los Angeles Lakers suffered their fourth consecutive loss, a 118-111 defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Anthony Davis emphasized the need for urgency. Despite being early in the season with only 30 games played out of 82, Davis expressed that the team is currently in a challenging period and stressed the importance of fighting, playing with effort, and treating the upcoming game against the Oklahoma City Thunder as a "must-win."

Davis expects the Lakers to be at full strength in the next game, with both LeBron James and Gabe Vincent sitting out the recent game due to injuries. Despite the early stage of the season, the Lakers are grappling with inconsistency, having recently gone 1-5 since winning the in-season tournament.

Although labeling a December game as a "must-win" may seem premature, the Lakers' recent struggles have highlighted the team's need to rediscover purpose and consistency. Davis led the team with an impressive performance of 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks against the Timberwolves, showcasing the team's capabilities when playing with intent.

While the Lakers displayed improvement in Minnesota compared to their previous loss to the Chicago Bulls, turnovers continued to plague them. Davis attributed the loss to turnovers and questionable shot selection, highlighting areas that need improvement down the stretch.

D'Angelo Russell, who bounced back from a subpar performance in Chicago, acknowledged the need for offensive contributions from various players. He suggested that when he's not making shots, the team should rely on him to make defensive stops. Russell also mentioned the team's ongoing efforts to establish consistent substitution patterns under coach Darvin Ham.

With the Lakers currently standing at 15-14, only four games behind the West's No. 3 team, the Denver Nuggets, and four games ahead of the West's No. 12, the Utah Jazz, Davis stressed the importance of addressing the team's issues early on. Failing to do so could potentially put the Lakers in a challenging position as they aim to secure wins and improve their record.

"We've shown what we can be. And we've shown that if we don't do the things we need to do to be successful, then we're going to continue to be on this side of our record, which is losing," Davis remarked.