A Challenge Ahead...
The Lakers have a very distinct challenge in front of them over the next week or two. Let’s say for the sake of argument Anthony Davis misses all seven of the games the Lakers have left on the calendar before the All-Star break.
How will they respond?
In theory, three of those games—tonight against Washington, then games against Utah on February 10th and 12th—are winnable whether Davis plays or not. The other four? You do what you can. But staying above water will require a true commitment to details and focus that has been missing too often this season, and has apparently left the building over the last two games. JJ Redick spoke bluntly about the poor mental approach the Lakers had against the Hornets in Charlotte, and to say the least, was not happy with that aspect of his team’s game in Philadelphia against the Sixers.
But sometimes missing stars brings things into focus. Redick and LeBron James have talked about the lack of margin for error, and about being an execution-based team. Well, nothing will bring the need to execute into greater focus than losing your best player. The security blanket Davis provides on both ends is gone. The Lakers know it, and can prepare. You would think the Lakers would come out with the requisite energy and attention to detail the task (even against a horrible basketball team like the Wizards) requires.
You would think.
In a perfect world, the Lakers can win enough games to buy A.D. some time, allowing him to rest through to the break if it’s needed, or even what would be best for Davis in terms of his long-term health, and capacity to play at full strength for the stretch run. That means beating the Wizards tonight, but also stealing a game or two (ok, maybe just one) against the Knicks, Clippers, Warriors and Pacers. Lord knows they owe Davis the lift, given how he’s carried them throughout the season. (In that sense, it’s surprising Davis didn’t already have a hernia.)
—BK
Overheard In This Episode
“If they were concerned that this could be four weeks, six weeks, maybe closing on two months, there is no point in even giving people hope that this could be a week to 10 days.”
“This is the time that if you’re going (to claim) to be a good basketball team, the Lakers are going to have to execute their way through these games that AD doesn’t play. That means your talent level may go down, but you are a well-coached, well-run group of smart basketball players who know how to do the right thing and don’t check out mentally for giant stretches of games.”
“I think the big place that you actually try to compensate for the loss of Anthony Davis is on the other end. I think it’s with your offense. I think it’s by not, you know, now the focus is no bad turnovers. It is really executing the offense so that your shots, whether they go in or don’t, are done in rhythm and they’re done in balance so that you’re not off-kilter on the other end.”
