LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 31: Fans react to a play during the game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Lakers on January 31, 2020 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
Lakers Fans Impressed With Anthony Davis’ Dominance In Win Over Pacers: “Put The City On His Shoulders”
Fans were in love with Anthony Davis’ performance to seal the win.
Fans were stunned to see Tyrese Haliburton struggling to crack double-digit points, staying at six scored until the last minute of the fourth quarter.
Spencer Dinwiddie received a ton of praise after his 25-point outing.
Fans observed Dinwiddie’s crucial contributions on both ends of the floor.
Fans are extremely happy with having a weapon like Rui Hachimura on the roster.
Some fans were critical of the team, including the poor attitude the franchise has had towards the regular season this year.
Some fans think the Lakers were lucky to have left this contest with a win.
The Lakers were led by Anthony Davis, arguably their best player all season long. He put up 36 points and 16 rebounds in a game where defense was scarce. LeBron James contributed positively with 26 points and 10 assists, along with Spencer Dinwiddie also scoring 26 points. Austin Reaves had 25 points in this all-around team win.The Pacers stayed competitive courtesy of Pascal Siakam’s 36-point performance. Myles Turner had 20 points as well with five other Pacers scoring in double-digits as well. Tyrese Haliburton had a rough night, scoring only six points through the first 47 minutes of the game before adding six late points in their failed comeback to end the night with 12 points and 10 assists.
The Lakers Are Keeping Up In The Race For No. 8
The No. 8 seed is pivotal for the Lakers to not be in a position to win consecutive single-elimination Play-In games. The last two times they made the Play-In, they did so as the No. 7 seed and maximized their positioning by winning that one game. Qualifying at No. 9 will make things problematic for them, also because the Denver Nuggets are the current No. 1 seed.
The Lakers do not stand a chance in a 1-8 matchup against the Nuggets, so it’s in their best interest to get to No. 8 and then beat one of the Mavericks, Kings, or Suns to qualify as the No. 7 seed and possibly matchup with the Thunder or Timberwolves. this should be the primary goal for the franchise going forward.
The Lakers are 2.5 games behind the Mavericks and Kings, two teams that have to still play each other two more times. The Suns have one of the hardest remaining schedules and are only three games ahead of the Lakers in the No. 6 seed. The Lakers are within striking distance of climbing up if one of these three teams collapses down the stretch.
They will be keeping an eye on the surging Houston Rockets, who are just a game behind the Warriors in the No. 10 seed, changing the potential Play-In opponent the Lakers have assumed for most of the season.
