A win is a win, I suppose.
The Lakers went up big in the third quarter but then let the breeze in by opening the door for the Hornets to come back. Charlotte couldn’t complete the comeback and the Lakers get out of North Cackalacky with a 4-2 road trip, 124-118.
Lakers went up by as many as 21 points in the third period and it looked like cruise control from that point. But the Hornets fought hard and were able to make the game out of it. Honestly, the Lakers looked mentally checked out in the second half. Their defense that carried them against Boston and New York was gone before they realized that they were about to lose control of the game. Anthony Davis made some big shots at the end and he saved the Lakers by blocking a three-pointer by a streaking Miles Bridges.
I felt that the Lakers tried hard not to lose the game and didn’t try to grab the win until the end. The players letting the clock go by after an inbounds pass (which they did multiple times) told me that they were just trying to hurry it up and not staying aggressive, especially when the Hornets were coming on. Nevertheless, we gotta give the Lakers credit for staving off a hot Charlotte team and holding on for the win. Like I said, a win is a win and it’s the results that matter.
Other than three-point shooting (8/34, ,235) and turnovers (16 while Charlotte had 9), the Lakers pretty much had the advantage in every stat. As mentioned, they were up by 21 at one point and ideally, you’d want the Lakers to really put it away then. But in the end, the Lakers go back to Los Angeles with a three-game winning streak. Let’s see if the Lakers can shed that ‘inconsistent’ label as the season enters the all-star break. Also, it’ll be interesting if we’re going to see the same team on Thursday as the trade deadline is rapidly approaching.
D’Angelo Russell bounced back from a mini-slump and led the Lakers with 28 points. Anthony Davis got his second triple-double of the season (26-15-11) while LeBron James also had 26 points. Miles Bridges had a career-best 41 points while Brandon Miller scored 33, following his 35-point performance against Indiana.
Either way, we’ll see what Thursday brings. Should be a pivotal point of the season for everyone.
