The story from the Los Angeles Lakers’ win:
The Lakers bench kept the Celtics at bay.
If a fan looked at the box score (Also read: Didn’t watch the game!) it would look like the Celtics bench outperformed the Lakers reserves. Well, they couldn’t be more wrong. Led by Carmelo Anthony who scored buckets in the first half and Malik Monk, who had a couple of show stopping dunks to get the crowd going, the bench supported the starters by making plays as needed.
The Boston bench was picked on by the Lakers just bullying them and establishing their fast break with ease. The Celtics reserves never could adjust to the Lakers defensive pressure and that eliminated Tatum’s impressive night.
This Anthony Davis thing!
It’s one thing when Lake Show Life calls out AD or brings in a Pelicans writer like David Grubb to basically foreshadow the frustrations of a number one option talent that doesn’t play that way.
It’s another thing when Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal does it.
Anthony Davis finished this game with 17 points (7-13 shooting!), 16 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. This is not going to cut it when the elite teams comes to town to play the Lakers. Fun fact: With that cupcake schedule the Lake Show is close to finishing up this week, they haven’t shown up yet.
The Los Angeles Lakers fanbase will take AD’s quote of winning ten straight games and run with it but his influence in this game that falls in line behind LeBron James and Russell Westbrook is not going to cut it.
Debate if you like, but if AD doesn’t get back to the levels of two years ago, well…Charles Barkley will end this…
"The Los Angeles Lakers will be in the play-ins." 👀
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 8, 2021
Chuck gives his bold predictions for the rest of the season. pic.twitter.com/2g0blWoZi0
The Lakers play the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night on the road.