Lakers fall to 2–8 on the season after loss to Jazz.
The Lakers are on a path to a seasonal disaster with the pace they're at right now, falling to the Jazz for their third straight loss and giving up a season-high 139 points in their 139–116 loss to Utah.
“It’s not always going to be like this. We’re gonna turn the corner. I didn’t come here to lose,” said coach Ham.
The Lakers were short-handed coming into Monday’s loss to the Jazz. LeBron was rested due to left foot soreness, with Patrick Beverly and Lonnie Walker IV also being out due to non-COVID illnesses.
Disaster best characterizes the Lakers’ second-half performance, which followed a high offensive and low defensive first-half performance and a sluggish second-half start that included a 10–3 Jazz surge.
“2–8 is a hard pill to swallow for me. We got to put it together. The offense has put it together, but we lost our defensive intensity, and that’s what’s killing us," said Davis.
It’s true. The Lakers' record should not be 2–8 in the first ten games of the season. That’s the risk you took (aka Rob Pelinka) when you didn't make a trade before the start of the season to surround LeBron and Anthony Davis with more suitable pieces.
Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook were the only bright spots in Monday’s loss, combining for 51 points.
“Just showed up to work, being professional, do your job and keep competing,” said Westbrook.
Westbrook has done just that for the Lakers—showing up and doing his job is what he’s forced to say with all the drama that’s surrounded him since the summer. This Lakers team is screaming for a change, and that could come quickly.
Westbrook finished second on the team with 22 points in 24 minutes off the bench, shooting 67% (2-for-3) from three and 57% (8-for-14) overall from the floor.
“We just got to come out and put it together for a full 48. Play great first-half basketball, and 3rd quarter we gave this away because we don't defend, and it’s hard to win basketball games like that. That’s been a lot of our losses,” said Davis.
Davis finished with a team-high 29 points in 29 minutes, shooting 61% (11-for-28) from the floor with just 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
The Lakers’ next matchup is technically on the road this Wednesday back in L.A. against the struggling 6–5 other L.A. team at 7:00 PM on Spectrum SportsNet.
