Anthony Davis: Lakers establishing identity heading into second half،
SALT LAKE CITY – The Los Angeles Lakers' 138-122 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday was not only the team's sixth victory in its last seven games before the NBA All-Star break, but it represented also a declaration of identity, according to Anthony Davis.
“[It’s] “It’s not what we can be, but it’s who we are,” Davis said after scoring 37 points and 15 rebounds against the Jazz. “We're starting to establish that we're going to be a fast-paced team, a team that likes to get into the paint, go to the line. But also be tenacious on the defensive end. Create that identity for what we need to move forward.
“We can't come back from All-Star and [wonder], “Alright, what type of team are we?” » This is what we must be. This is who we are. And we've got to make sure the way we've been playing lately, the last two, three, four weeks, keeping that identity and carrying it over after All-Star. »
Wednesday's win came with LeBron James out of the lineup. The 21-year-old veteran remained in Los Angeles to rest his sore left ankle, with the Lakers playing the second night of a row.
Although the Lakers are still No. 9 in the West, their recent surge has improved their record to 30-26 – the first time they've been four games above .500 since mid-December, shortly after their in-season tournament championship.
While Davis posted team highs in points and rebounds, the Lakers' effort was anchored by a career-high 36 points from Rui Hachimura, who shot an efficient 13 of 19 from the field.
Hachimura, who was a standout for the Lakers during their playoff run to the Western Conference Finals last spring, had yet to find a consistent rhythm this season. His presence was missed so much that last week, after going 1 for 5 in a loss to the Denver Nuggets, Davis said the team confronted him, imploring him to be more assertive.
“We need Rui to be big for us to be big,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “He’s one of the main pieces for us, and when he plays like that, with all the other weapons we have, we’re a pretty tough team to beat.”
Hachimura recognized his importance in the Lakers' puzzle.
“I want to be the X-factor of the team, whether it’s coming off the bench or starting, whatever, offensively, defensively, everything,” Hachimura said. “I just have to be aggressive, use my size, whatever it takes to win.”
LA opened the game with a 12-0 run late in the third quarter, and it was an up-and-down effort, with Austin Reaves finishing with 22 points, 7 assists and 3 steals and D'Angelo Russell totaling 11 points, a career-high 17 assists and 9 rebounds.
Ham called it a “quality of life win,” allowing his team to take a week's break on a high note before coming together for the final 26 games to make the playoffs.
“Rui and D-Lo, yeah, they’re great players,” Reaves said. “And I’ll be happy to see them in about seven days.”
