Anthony Davis on Lakers' Final 23 Games: 'Each Game Is a Must-Win for Us'
February 22, 2023
As the NBA All-Star break nears its end, Los Angeles Lakers star big man Anthony Davis is aware of the urgency his team is facing during the stretch run of the season.
"Each game is a must-win for us," Davis told reporters Wednesday.
The Lakers have 23 games remaining and are 13th in the Western Conference with a 27-32 record.
Los Angeles runs the risk of missing the playoffs for the second year in a row. The team finished 33-49 last season and didn't even qualify for the play-in tournament.
There is some optimism around the Lakers as they try to make their push for the postseason, as they made a slew of moves at the trade deadline to add depth and improve the roster. Most notably, they landed point guard D'Angelo Russell in a three-team deal to provide a reliable third scoring option behind Davis and star forward LeBron James.
Russell is averaging 17.3 points in his first three games with Los Angeles. When James returned from an ankle injury last Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Lakers got a glimpse of how their new Big Three could work. Davis, James and Russell combined for 70 points in a 120-102 victory, with each of them scoring over 20 points.
In addition to Russell, newcomers like Rui Hachimura, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt are expected to be key contributors in Los Angeles' rotation.
Per Tankathon, the Lakers have the sixth-easiest strength of schedule remaining. They'll get started on their quest to turn their season around when they return to action Thursday against the Golden State Warriors (29-29).
