LOS ANGELES – Finally returning to Crypto.com Arena after a brutal December in which they were constantly on the road and slipping in the standings, the Los Angeles Lakers looked like strangers in their own home after a 110-96 loss on Wednesday night. Were staying. Miami Heat.
The schedule was considered favorable for the Lakers coming into the new year, with their first of 12 January 11 games in L.A., but the Heat – with their star Jimmy Butler out for the second consecutive game due to a sore right foot . –That was the team that looked comfortable.
“It’s a little bit of everything right now,” Lakers coach Darwin Hamm said afterward, explaining how his team has gone 2-8 in its last 10 and dropped to 10th in the Western Conference. “We’re not performing. That team played harder than us tonight, played better than us tonight, played more physical than us tonight. We came up short tonight, so it’s everything right now.
“If we keep sitting on this train, it will not be good for us.”
The situation was particularly bad early on against the Heat. Miami led by as many as 11 in the first quarter, L.A. committed 10 turnovers in the opening frame, while shooting 6-for-18 from the field (0-for-7 on 3-pointers) in the Heat’s field loss against Went. protect.
“They threw a zone inside and they just challenged us to make shots, and we didn’t,” said Anthony Davis, who led L.A. with 29 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks, but Also committed a team-high five turnovers. “Kind of got us out of position, but 10 turnovers in the first quarter was kind of a recipe for disaster.”
Playing for the first time with a starting lineup of Davis, LeBron James, Cam Reddish, Taurean Prince and Austin Reaves, LA appeared disjointed on the offensive end and fell apart on defense, especially in the fourth quarter when Miami scored 38 points on 58.3% shooting. Make. While going from 3 to 6-11.
Meanwhile, the Lakers shot 4 of 30 (13.3%) from deep for the game. Hamm said the cycle of injuries has affected his group. Reddish returned from a groin injury, at the same time Rui Hachimura missed his first game with a Grade 1 left calf strain and D’Angelo Russell missed his second consecutive game with a tailbone injury.
“We can’t have any stability until we get healthy. It’s that simple. We have to get healthy,” Hamm said. “When you’re working with different guys in and out of the lineup over and over again, it’s almost impossible to get a rhythm going. It’s just surreal.”
LA’s standings have dropped dramatically since winning the league’s early in-season tournament, making it difficult to determine what this team is capable of. But it is clear that frustrations are beginning to set in.
James, after scoring a season-low 12 points on 6-of-18 shooting, walked from the field without speaking to reporters, a rarity for the 21-year veteran.
Reeves said the team’s mood was “s—ty”.
“We’re losing,” Reeves said after his 24 points and eight assists were nullified. “Whenever you lose, the atmosphere’s gone, you know? If I went (into the locker room) and the atmosphere wasn’t gone after the tough fight we had, I would be worried. That’s really it. You know, I don’t expect us to be happy with the way we played. So, until we figure it out, you know, the excitement should be gone. We’ve got to win the game.”
Reeves later clarified his comments, saying: “When I say the atmosphere is over, it doesn’t mean we don’t like each other. It means we’re losing. … But I don’t want it to get to us. We like each other. Everybody gets along in the locker room.”
The matter of clarification was important. After all, last year’s team – needing to fix both its on-court performance and off-court chemistry – was completely overhauled in a series of trades at the deadline.
These Lakers are not calling for outside help. at least not yet.
“We have to attack and be more competitive, but we need guys to step up and play better,” Hamm said. “The reason we signed them is because we know what they can do. And so you have to come in with that confidence every night and you have to fight through it. If things aren’t going your way, you have to play ball. You can’t go in the corner somewhere and cry about it. You have to come forward and try to see how you can best help your team be successful.”
Hamm said he would consider going back to the starting lineup of James, Davis, Reaves, Vanderbilt and Russell that L.A. used last season and in the first two rounds of the playoffs once Russell gets healthy.
“I think everything is on the table that makes sense,” Hamm said. “No stone will be left unturned. We’re here to figure out everything we can to right the ship.”
Davis said L.A. will try to hold its own on Friday at home against the Memphis Grizzlies, the team it defeated in the first round last season.
“We just have to compete, work hard and come out with a winning mentality, and hopefully that can motivate us to get back to .500 on Friday and then work together at home,” he said. Can do.” Said. “I mean, we’ve been a really good home team so far, and we’ve got a chance to push it.
“But if we play like we played tonight, it will be very bad for us.”
