This 3-0 start for the Los Angeles Lakers is the best start this organization has seen since they won eight straight to begin the 2010-11 season.
They got that third win against a Sacramento team that swept LA last season, in dramatic fashion after trailing by seven (94-87) to begin the 4th. Then LA started the 4th quarter on a 21-0 run then ultimately walked away with a 131-127 win.
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It might be the new reinvigorated big man Anthony Davis that Lakers fans will point to for this team’s start, that feels different. He’s tied for the league lead in scoring (34 ppg) and is 11th in rebounding (11/gm).
After the first two consecutive games of 35+ points, Davis joined two other former hall-of-fame Lakers to begin the season with back-to-back such games in Elgin Baylor and Jerry West.
His superstar teammate and face of this franchise, LeBron James said after they beat Phoenix for their second win of the season, “It’s very important that he’s [Davis] the main focal point for us every single night,” James said after the win against Phoenix. “We know what he’s going to do defensively, but offensively we have to find him in multiple places on the floor throughout the whole game. And we’ve done that through two games.”
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It has been tough for LA to continuously build a winning culture since Davis has been there because he has consistently been dealing with some sort of injury throughout the season. But last season he played in 76 games, the most games he’s played in since entering the league back in 2012 which is a good sign for the 31-year old.
Now playing under first head coach JJ Redick, he might have a former player that is now coaching him, lighting that fire so many others have been trying to do. “We’ve all been very fortunate to watch his greatness for so long and the fact that he’s able to keep doing it, it’s actually insane,” Redick said about Davis after their victory over Sacramento.
After three straight home wins over Minnesota, Phoenix, and Sacramento, LA will hit the road for five straight. Regardless of who LA plays throughout this season they know it must run through Davis because like James said after the Sacramento win, “He commands so much attention offensively and defensively.”
“I like where our team is,” Davis said. “Obviously there’s a lot that we can clean up on both ends of the floor, but we’ll definitely take those wins. I’d rather be able to clean up things with a win over a loss. It’s been a tough three games obviously with three familiar teams from the West. We’ve been able to hold our own and put the league on notice that we’re a different team. We want to come out and compete every night, whether we’re up 20 or down 20. We’re gonna continue to fight and we’re been able to be on the winning side of it the first three games.”
Other’s have stepped up so far this season for the purple and gold, but none of that matters unless they find a way to consistently get MVP play from Davis.
Chrys Henderson is a writer for Ball Exclusives. You can follow him on X @ChrysNBA.
