Anthony Davis says LeBron-less Lakers showed 'next up' mentality in rout of Warriors
Friday 28 February 2020 09:49, UK
Anthony Davis said the Los Angeles Lakers showed their "next up" mentality as they hammered the Golden State Warriors without the injured LeBron James.
With James sidelined, Davis knew he and his team-mates had to do a little more to pick up the slack.
Davis had 23 points and six rebounds in three quarters as the Lakers won their seventh straight game and NBA-record 18th in a row on the road against Western Conference opponents, beating the injury-plagued Warriors 116-86 on Thursday night without King James, who sat out because of recurring soreness in his troublesome left groin.
Davis shot 6-for-13, made 10-of-12 free throws and also had a pair of blocked shots and steals for the Lakers. Kyle Kuzma added 18 points off the bench.
"It meant taking better care of the ball in the second half and bringing energy on both ends. LeBron, when he is out, it is taking away a lot of things that we do, so it's on all of us to make sure we kind of fill those voids, and I think we did that tonight," Davis said.
"We started playing defense in the second half, started playing the right way, started sharing the ball, started playing a bit more at pace and we were able to get a lead. We came out in the second half and took it away (from Golden State) and we were aggressive on the defensive end.
"We have a 'next up' mentality. As you saw tonight, LeBron was out, guys came in and played well. It is good for us to see them get some playing time."
Rajon Rondo started in place of James and contributed 12 points and six assists as Los Angeles turned the game into a rout with a 40-17 third quarter.
Golden State forward Draymond Green's return from a two-game absence with a bruise in his right pelvic area was a short one. He was ejected 5:45 before half-time on his second technical just 11 seconds after his first at 5:56.
Golden State also missed Andrew Wiggins, a late scratch with spasms in his upper back. The Warriors hung tough early but couldn't stay with the Lakers.
And if it couldn't get worse for the home team, beloved Lakers super-sub Alex Caruso drew late MVP chants as the arena quickly emptied.
This losing streak is wearing on the Warriors.
"We need to win a game," coach Steve Kerr said. "We need to win a game once in a while to feel better about things. Right now, we are in a bad stretch. It is tough."
Kerr can look at James as an example of a superstar taking it up to a new level after a full offseason given the Lakers star had played in eight straight NBA Finals before last year.
Golden State have reached five Finals in a row, but not this season - so players such as Stephen Curry, Green and Klay Thompson may benefit from extended rest.
"Watching LeBron, he looks refreshed, he looks recharged. The idea of eight straight Finals is insane when you think about five here and what it has done and how our players have felt this past year and the injuries that have hit," Kerr said.
"I do believe that when all is said and done, by next year's training camp our guys should feel recharged and refreshed and ready to go. Hopefully that's the case. LeBron's also LeBron. He is built differently than most people."
James watched the game from the bench in street clothes and led the celebrations following several big Lakers plays with gusto.
"He does it all. That's the type of guy he is," Davis said. "He came out and supported us. If we made a big play, he was up out of his seat cheering us on. If something has gone wrong, he is in our ear. He is a great all-round guy even when he is not playing."
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