Anthony Davis returned from injury on Monday night and was not as impactful as he would have liked for his team. At 37:49 against the Portland Trail Blazers, Davis scored just 13 points out of 6 out of 14 field shots. Last season, Davis had just five games in which he scored less than 15 points and played less than 30 minutes in all but two of them.
Davis still had a positive score in the area (+5) because of his defense and his way of playing on the post, but he left the game with the feeling that he could have done more offensive.
“I have to score the ball,” said Davis after the Lakers lost on Monday. “It’s as simple as that. Obviously, I was trying to make plays and find my rhythm with the team, especially since they played so well yesterday – you’ll never want to go back to where the guys are forcing you and trying to catch the ball so you can do the kicks. I tried to find my rhythm back to the system, but I have to be more aggressive, just go there and score the basketball. It’s that simple: whatever it takes to win a game.
“We had some guys going early: Kenny makes a couple of trios, Dennis goes for the basket and every time I have the ball they’re trying to double the team, and I just tried to make the right moves … I had a slow start, but at the end of the day I can’t let it affect the way I continue to play and I just have to keep scoring. “
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22203514/1230338461.jpg)
Adam Pantozzi / NBAE photo via Getty Images
Despite Davis’ slow start, the Lakers led with 13 points in the first quarter. The second quarter is when Davis’ offensive fights became a problem. In addition to Dennis Schröder, who scored 4 out of 5 on the field in the second quarter, the Lakers failed to make their kicks fall, and Davis did nothing to improve the situation.
In the 7:12 he played in the second quarter, Davis tried only one field goal and missed. He ended the first half with just 2 points from four field goal attempts. A lot of that had to do with how the Trail Blazers were defending him, but Frank Vogel thinks the Lakers – including himself – could have done more for them too.
“I think it really starts with the group,” said Vogel. “We just weren’t moving the ball that well. I have to be sure to give him the ball in opportunities where he can be aggressive, because when we do that we know that he is aggressive and carries a big load for us. He’s really in the group. “
The second half was significantly better for Davis, who scored 11 points in 50% of field shots, but by then, the Lakers had already given the Trail Blazers the confidence they needed to complete their recovery. Vogel hopes Monday’s performance will be something they can learn as a team.
“It was just one of those nights when we got a little stuck in the mud. I don’t know if it’s because we played last night or something, but after we left the gates, we just had trouble sustaining that energy and intensity. “
The Lakers will try to recover against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. The complaint is at 19h on Spectrum SportsNet.
For more Lakers speak, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Roll podcast feed at iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. You can follow this author on Twitter at @RadRivas.