The Lakers’ Anthony Davis had backlash against his and LeBron James’s usage — or lack thereof — in Game 4 against the Grizzlies.
With a 134-107 victory at home on Tuesday night, Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers furthered the difficulties of the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2023–24 NBA season.
The Lakers’ dominance over the Grizzlies was so great that they didn’t even require LeBron James or Anthony Davis to play a single second in the game’s last quarter, which felt like an endless waste of time.
To make matters worse, Davis stated that he thinks this was the first time since, well, the 2023 NBA Playoffs first round matchup with the same Grizzlies team, that he and the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player did not participate in any fourth-quarter action.
“It was the last time we played them,” Davis remarked following the match (source: SportsCenter).
In the last 12 minutes of the game, Los Angeles led handily and the Lakers did not require the services of Davis or James. Davis finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds, and six blocks in 27 minutes of play. James, on the other hand, played just 23 minutes on the court and finished with 16 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. Rui Hachimura scored 12 points in the fourth quarter while Memphis’ defense was being torched by him, with Davis and James sitting on the bench.
Davis and James were labeled probable and questionable ahead of the meeting with the Grizzlies, respectively, but both were able to give it a go and lead the Lakers.
With some extra in-game rest, the 1-2 punch of the Lakers will look to help LA extend its win streak to four games when they play the Sacramento Kings at home on Wednesday.
