Los Angeles Lakers “Are Two Different Teams Right Now”, According to Anthony Davis

It’s no secret that this season has not started the Lakers’ way. Though the team has played to a 4-3 record so far, being just one game above .500 and struggling against almost every opponent they’ve faced has not exactly inspired a lot of confidence.

(Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)

Los Angeles Lakers' 2024-25 Season Snapshot

Here’s a quick look at their key stats over the first 8 games, highlighting their scoring, shooting efficiency, and team dynamic before we dive in.

*Stats as of November 7

Los Angeles Lakers’ Season: Riding the Razor's Edge

Los Angeles has handedly lost a few times, and all of their wins have been by seven points or less. There have been no blowouts, and everything seems to be on a razor’s edge. That’s pretty concerning for a team who had deep playoff run aspirations coming out of the preseason.

That doesn’t mean they are particularly bad, the talent is definitely there, but there are certain obvious problems that have arisen in the early part of the NBA season.

Such issues became an even bigger focus with them losing to a pretty mediocre Pistons team 115 to 103.

Anthony Davis speaks out on why physicality is missing

After that loss, Anthony Davis and several other big name Lakers players spoke out about the disappointing performance and gave their opinion on what they believe to be the biggest issue for the team.

Despite Flashes of Brilliance, Can They Play a Full 48?

The Lakers have strung together a series of good halves throughout the year, but they have yet to play a complete game. That might buy a few wins here and there, but it’s not going to lead to long term success in what has become an extremely competitive Western Conference.

Los Angeles finds themselves in the fifth seed, but they are tied with six other teams and are just a half game above the tenth seed. If they want to win, they need to learn how to play better for all 48 minutes.

Davis is right. The Lakers defense and inconsistency are two issues that need to be fixed sooner rather than later. They have a lot of talent at the top of their roster, but it’s going to take a complete team for them to make an early push.

The Lakers' Weak Bench Production is Holding Back Their Potential

The bench seems quite thin, and they aren’t getting a ton of help in the role positions. Those two issues could be shored up with a bit more effort, but that’s not something that’s going to happen overnight. It takes time to gel.

They have one more game on the road before returning home to play the 76ers, Raptors, and Grizzlies. If they can’t come out of that rather easy stretch with two or three wins, then it’s going to be time to sound the alarm. Especially with Anthony Davis dealing with a foot injury that could hamper his play moving forward, if not force him to sit out for a few games.

No matter how long the NBA season is, every win counts down the stretch. A couple of bad losses might not seem like a big deal early on but Los Angeles could very well be kicking themselves come April or May.

Time to Step Up - Davis Calls for Consistency

With a good staff and strong players it shouldn’t get to that point, but right now it all depends on which Lakers team decides to show up. Davis knows which one he wants to see. Only time will tell if he gets his wish.

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