The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a costly 120-130 loss to the Sacramento Kings Wednesday night. They started the game strong, jumping out to a 30-13 lead in the first quarter before the Kings rallied and led by as much as 22 points throughout. LeBron James focused on the defensive slump, stating that Anthony Davis’ foul issue was the primary cause.
“It vanished as AD picked up his second. It is that simple. If you have someone like that who controls so much of our defense, when he got his second in the first quarter and we had to make the substitution, our defense kind of fluttered after that.”
Anthony Davis would have been a DPOY candidate this season if the Lakers had been competitive enough to finish in the top four in the Western Conference. He has consistently marshaled the interior and switched to the perimeter, setting the defensive tone for the Lakers.
He had a tough game against the Kings, finishing with 14 points and 11 rebounds on 5-13 shooting, while Domantas Sabonis had a 20-rebound triple-double. The Kings overcome a 17-point deficit by performing a 44-20 second quarter, which turned the game in their favor.
Davis is averaging 24.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 2.4 blocks this season, and his defensive contribution is among the league’s best. Unfortunately, he does not have Victor Wembanyama’s raw statistics or Rudy Gobert’s team record. Ultimately, his defensive contributions will not result in the trophy he has sought throughout his career, but the Lakers place a great value on them.
