SUMMARY
- Anthony Davis took accountability for the Los Angeles Lakers' recent loss to the Utah Jazz.
- D'Angelo Russell emerged as a standout player in the game, contributing 39 points, three rebounds, eight assists, one steal, and two blocks.
Following the Los Angeles Lakers’ recent defeat against the Utah Jazz, Anthony Davis shared an honest statement on his performance. Davis finished the night with a triple-double of 15 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists, but his shooting accuracy was disappointing 5/21 from the field and 0/1 from the three-point range.
Addressing the media after the game, Anthony Davis took responsibility for the team’s loss. “Everyone did their job except me. I didn’t do my job,” he stated, highlighting that LeBron James’s absence was a major reason why each player on the team needed to step up their game. While his teammates stepped up, Davis felt he fell short, stating, “this one’s on me.”
“Everyone did their job, except me… This one’s on me.” Anthony Davis breaks down the key moments in the game and takes the blame for the loss. pic.twitter.com/QM0OFhPLY5
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 14, 2024
D’Angelo Russell came out as a standout player, contributing 39 points, along with three rebounds, eight assists, one steal, and two blocks. Russell’s shooting efficiency was noticeable, achieving 15 out of 26 from the field and 6 out of 11 from beyond the arc.
Apart from this particular performance, Davis is having an impressive season overall, with averages of 25.1 points, 12.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game, while shooting 55.1% from the field and 33.3% from the three-point range in 38 games.
Lakers suffer another loss in LeBron James’ absence
The Lakers’ recent game against the Utah Jazz ended in a 132-125 loss, which is their second straight loss and drops their season record to 19-21. This places them as the 11th seed in the Western Conference. The game was played without LeBron James, who was out due to a left ankle peroneal tendinopathy injury.
In James’ absence, the Lakers faced a difficult task. Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura both made big contributions, with Reaves scoring 19 points and Hachimura leading the bench with 17 points on 50% shooting. However, the team’s hopes of a comeback were ended when Reaves fouled out in the fourth quarter.
The game started with a high-scoring first quarter, with the Lakers initially leading by eight points. However, the Jazz, led by former Laker Jordan Clarkson, soon closed the gap. The Lakers faced additional challenges with Cam Reddish leaving the game due to left knee soreness.
Despite efforts from Hachimura and continued scoring from Russell, the Lakers were unable to close the gap in the fourth quarter and ultimately lost the game to the Jazz. The Lakers now look forward to their next game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, hoping to break their losing streak and improve their standing in the Western Conference.