As if the Los Angeles Lakers hadn’t struggled enough yet, there was a 114-89 loss in two starters on Wednesday’s game against the Utah Jazz that was the defending champion.
With Anthony Davis (right leg) and Dennis Schroder (health and safety protocols) on the sidelines, the Jazz jumped over the Lakers. They led by as many as 29 points to lose LA the fourth straight and fifth in the last six games since Davis aggravated his tendinosis and had a calf a week and a half ago.
Utah won 15 straight at home.
“They’re currently playing like the best team in the league,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said of Utah, shooting 22-for-48 from 3 straight.
And the Lakers, who are still third in the Western Conference standings at 22-11, are not playing nearly as well as their record would suggest.
LA kept pace with Utah at Vivint Arena in the first quarter, 24-23 after one, before the Jazz broke out in the second and third quarters and outscored the Lakers 66-41 to break the game open.
Markieff Morris, who had the lead against Utah’s Rudy Gobert with Davis out, said the Lakers’ current game is a reality check that the team needs.
“[I] think early on we won a lot with talent and we have a lot of role players who know their roles. Now with the guys outside – with AD in particular outside – we need guys to do different things, “Morris said after finishing with the season high in points (12) and rebounds (9).” This is new to all of us. But we need it. If you ask me, we need it. Because you never know with injuries. You never know in the playoffs. You never know. We need these challenging times to really find who we really are. ‘
The four-game losing streak has lost the longest the Lakers have had in the past two seasons, but Morris said it is difficult to compare the season’s squad with last year because of the roster turnover and challenges associated with coronavirus-compacted schedule.
“It’s the most basketball I’ve ever played in my life – this season and last season together,” he said. “It’s an incredible amount of basketball that we all play. Mentally, it gets draining. Especially when you lose.”
The Lakers have four more games before the All-Star break, with the next three of those games – at home against Portland, Golden State and Phoenix – all coming up against teams with winning records.
“It’s not supposed to click right away,” Morris said. “It’s supposed to take time. It’s going to challenge us. It’s supposed to feel like our back is against the wall. And everyone needs it. It’s going to bring your true self to the fore if you have to fight if your back the wall is when you lose a few games. It will bring out your true self. “
LeBron James, whose teams have been 1-for-3 in recurring title runs so far in his career, remained pragmatic and did not use the missing LA players as an excuse, but equalized with the fact that the season is not off track will not be affected due to February.
“It’s a tough stretch for us,” James said after scoring 19 points in 28 minutes. ‘You know it will not determine who we will be for the rest of the season and in the long run. That’s for sure. ‘
Asked if the losses could help LA’s renovated locker room teach each other, he agrees.
“The experience is always the best teacher in life,” James said. “You know, if we go through this now, I think it will greatly benefit our team.”
As with every team that pursues rugby championship pursuits, Morris looked to the future when judging Wednesday’s results.
“We see the Jazz, we know they hit our ass tonight,” he said. “But in the playoffs, it’s a different story.”