The vibes were off sometimes. And inconsistent vibes lead to inconsistent play.
It wasn’t basketball. it was other stuff that was made lakers The team that languished at the bottom of the West with no momentum and little hope.
If this seems like a harsh criticism, check the source.
how is it Patrick Beverly assessed his former team on his podcast after Lakers trade veteran guard to Orlando,
Vibes now from when the Lakers rebuilt their roster? They have been mostly spotless and the relentless energy has fueled the game consistently.
An interesting question lies at the core of the Lakers’ recent success — 8-3 in their last 11 games.
Are the Lakers such a happy team right now because they are winning or are they winning because they are such a happy team?
“It’s both,” Anthony Davis said after friday night Lakers beat Toronto,
Davis’ performance against the Raptors epitomized it, the Lakers’ best player comfortable with the talent around him as Toronto ramped up their defense in hopes of containing him.
“He understands what is working, what is not working, what is being given and what is being taken. And the way he is playing, the teams are excited. darwin ham Said after watching the film on Saturday. “They’re extra cautious of him and his abilities and what he’s doing. So, they’re going to have one, two, three people around him at all times.
“…but he’s a smart basketball player. He didn’t get this far by accident. And the way he’s been able to navigate all of that and accept what the defense is doing and look for other options Has been … and now, we have a plethora of other options that we can go to.
Five Lakers scored at least 10 points while Davis scored eight against Toronto. The only time he scored fewer points this season was against Cleveland, when he left the game after tipoff due to illness.
“Seven shots, five shots, no shots, 20 shots — like, as long as we win, I’m fine,” Davis said on Saturday, his 30th birthday. “I’m happy. And those guys carried a lot of burden last night.”
d’angelo russellThe performance, with 16 of his 28 points coming in the fourth quarter, highlighted the victory.
Hamm said of Russell, “The way we’ve tried to play all season, the pace of the game, he fits like a hand in a glove with the style of play I personally have as a player.”
even Lebron Jameswho was not on the bench in the last two matches as he tries to work his way back from his foot injury, offered his support, Tweet, “Man I love this team!!!” He also posted a package of highlights from Friday’s win on Instagram.
“He’s seen it. He can tell. He’s seen enough basketball,” Davis said of James. “We talked after the Memphis game, but he’s always … texting us, ‘Great win,’ things he sees. So he’s involved even though he’s recuperating. But like I said, energy great. Yes, very high. The boys are happy. The people are happy to win.
The improvement in the vibe inside the locker room has been the result of a combination of factors – veterans who left, young players who entered, a growing sense of urgency and a clear collective goal of making the playoffs. The Lakers (33-34) are one game out of sixth place and a guaranteed playoff spot.
“Communication has been our best friend,” Davis said.
The ease with which the Lakers have been able to solve problems quickly has been one of the most obvious changes the distance between discussion and argument has widened since the Lakers rebuilt their roster.
That leaves the team in position to hold a .500 record for the first time since January 25, 2022, with a win against the New York Knicks on Sunday.
“We dug ourselves a hole. And we’re trying to dig ourselves out of it,” Davis said. 500 would be nice and going above that for the first time this year would be nice. So it was a rough start but we are turning things around.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times,