When the Chicago Bulls tore apart the Los Angeles Lakers' defense, it felt like it was the civilian players on the bench who played the biggest part in their victory.
It can't be ignored that the turning point in the Bulls' recent record came when Zach LaVine was on the sidelines with a foot injury. Of course, we can't ignore LaVine's contribution to a team like the Lakers, who lost 108-124 to the Bulls without LaVine (so far).
But that's just speculation, and a star player who looks compatible with LeBron James and Anthony Davis could easily connect with a team that has traditionally been on the lookout for big names.
LaVine has four years left on his contract for about 1With $7.6 billion and concerns about his injury history, the trade market has cooled down — and it was also the least efficient season of his career.
But on Wednesday he and the Lakers were in the same arena, and "if" was a fair question, especially since the team has been in the doldrums since the midseason tournament in Las Vegas.
A LaVine deal doesn't look particularly close to being done, but with the way the Lakers are playing right now, no, no choice should probably be ruled out.
It's emotional fatigue, it's physical fatigue, it's season fatigue," James said. 'When you don't win, it's clear that that's the fatigue of frustration. ”
Since winning the midseason, the Lakers have lost four of their five games, including a three-game losing streak. They travel to Minnesota on Thursday and that losing streak is likely to continue.
We did our best to win," said head coach Hamm. “…Our competitive spirit is there. We cannot be discouraged or discouraged. ”
Against the Bulls, James (25 points), Austin Reaves (21 points) and Prince (16 points) put up excellent offensive performances, while Davis (19 points and 14 rebounds) and Cam Reddish (13 points) were mediocre.
In this game, they quickly realized that they needed offense rather than defense to win the game, and the Lakers were only able to briefly threaten the Bulls' defense, while the Bulls made six more three-pointers with three fewer shots than the Lakers, and DeRozan led eight players to score in double figures. Alex Caruso, who will be one of the biggest favorites in the trade market if the Bulls decide to trade him, finished with 15 points and six rebounds.
And the Lakers' other role players, such as D'Angelo Russell and Hachimura, couldn't provide enough help on both ends of the floor, with the pair shooting just three of 15 shots. For Russell, it was the first time since 2017 that he had scored no more than 2 points while playing at least 20 minutes.
The problem is not limited to offense. Once again, the Lakers (15-13) have failed to capture the intensity or energy they burst out of their midseason tournament, and they appear to be paying the price for it, as four of their final six games of the month have been on the road.
Before the calendar flips, they will play the Timberwolves twice, as well as the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics and New Orleans Pelicans, all of which are on the road except at home to the Boston Celtics and Charlotte Hornets.
We have to play to the strength we deserve. We have to do it or they're going to beat us up badly," Davis said. "There's going to be some good games ahead, some games that allow us to get back on track, so it's going to be a huge test for our defense, starting with the gameLet's start with our offense. Starting tomorrow night. ”
Their defender Vincent returned on Wednesday after missing most of the season with a swollen knee. He played 14 minutes off the bench, one of the Lakers' key signings in the offseason and one of the factors the team considers before making any major moves.
But change is certainly possible – whether it's with LaVine, Caruso, DeRozan or someone else. Patience is also a path, and the team is well aware of their schedule and the challenges of the past month.
But when a team is in a state of collapse mentally and physically and losses start piling up, it's hard to think about the big picture.
There are no breaks. No one came to help. There were no rescuers. We've got to settle this in the locker room," Davis said. "Now everybody's back. We've got to figure out how to get into the winning fold. Obviously, when you lose a few games, especially a few games in a row, that feeling starts to linger. Everyone wants to win. All you have to do is win the game, cheer up, and go from there. The Lakers lost three in a row