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Spurs center Victor Wembanyama blocks a three-point shot by Dalton Knecht in the first quarter. (Kevork Djansezian / Associated Press)
Most of the time, NBA teams do whatever they can to fight off distractions. Monday, the Lakers couldn’t have been more thrilled to have one.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis had to evacuate their homes. JJ Redick lost his. The rebuild hasn’t even begun, another round of winds keeping red-shaded swaths of the city on edge.
But Redick, one of the most public faces of these fires, knew this would be a chance to think about something else, temporary as that might be.
“I think a group functions best when you draw strength from each other. And the way my players, my staff, the organization has supported, rallied around me — rallied around the city, clearly — loved on my family, there’s real strength in that. And that’s the sort of receiving of strength. Then it’s our job to go give strength, and give hope and give joy,” Redick said pregame. “Sports are a lot of things and sports can certainly provide an escape and a distraction and hopefully sports, and tonight, can provide some joy as well.”
Read more: Lakers coach JJ Redick vows to help rebuild L.A. after losing home in fire
Through that lens, this was all a success — fans soaking in the moments where James and Davis tried to solve Victor Wembanyama’s 7-foot-3 frame after fires postponed the Lakers last two games.
The distraction from the outside world, the actual game, though, again exposed some of the Lakers’ issues inside the basketball one, a team again attacking them with more physicality and toughness, the Spurs deflating the crowd and surging to a 126-102 win, the Lakers’ third straight loss.
Davis and James combined to score 48 on 20-of-29 shooting, but the Lakers’ supporting cast struggled. Austin Reaves got targeted by the Spurs’ offense after they pulled Davis away from the rim. They pushed and shoved through Rui Hachimura and Max Christie.
And the Lakers offered little fight in return.
The loss came with their offense unraveling in the fourth quarter when the team scored only 13 points.
Trouble,…
[ad_2]Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/lakers-seek-relief-return-court-062446985.html
Author : LA Times
Publish date : 2025-01-14 06:24:00
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