The Lakers secured their fifth consecutive victory against the Pelicans on Saturday, although they faced some challenges in the first half.
Despite the injuries plaguing NOLA, the Lakers found themselves trailing by ten points at halftime due to their defensive lapses.
However, Anthony Davis remained unfazed, delivering an impressive performance with 31 points, 14 rebounds, two steals, and a block.
“I wouldn’t describe it as frustrating,” Davis commented. “We are aware of the circumstances, playing on the second night of a back-to-back. Every team faces this challenge. They were hitting shots early on while we missed some good looks. It was not discouraging for us. We had solid defensive quarters and limited them to 99 points, so our defensive performance was commendable. Our struggles were more on the offensive end. We knew the Pelicans would put up a fight regardless of their lineup. We stayed connected, remained focused, and executed well in the end.”
As the game progressed, the Lakers adjusted their defense to restrict the Pelicans’ shot selection in the second half. Lakers coach JJ Redick shared his thoughts on the team’s defensive improvement and his halftime message to the players.
“Our defense was actually solid in terms of first shot defense in the first half,” Redick stated. “They shot 36% on their initial attempts, but it was their offensive rebounds that posed a challenge. We knew they would crash the boards aggressively. The game boiled down to the battle for possessions. Fortunately, our players had the right mindset in the third quarter. We managed to limit their offensive rebounds to six in the second half. We didn’t make any major defensive adjustments; it was simply about grabbing the ball and controlling the possession.”
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