It takes more than talent to succeed in the best basketball league in the world. The Los Angeles Lakers have talented players, but they’re still having trouble picking up wins, especially since winning the NBA In-Season Tournament. For big man Anthony Davis, being on the same page and improving their communication, particularly on defense, will go a long way in rectifying the situation in La La Land.

“As far as the defensive end, communication has to be better. We’ll talk about something and then go out and don’t do it,” Davis said after the Lakers absorbed a 129-100 loss on the road to the New Orleans Pelicans Sunday night (via Dave McMenamin of ESPN).

Pelicans pounced on Lakers’ defensive issues
LeBron James and Anthony Davis next to Darvin Ham

The Pelicans capitalized on the Lakers’ leaky defense, as Davis’ former team knocked down 45 field goals on 33 assists. New Orleans shot 51.7 percent from the floor and hit 17 of their 34 attempts from behind the arc. Los Angeles seemingly had issues rotating on defense versus the Pelicans, who did a great job at stretching the floor and moving the ball around to keep the Lakers’ defense constantly guessing.

Davis finished the game with 20 points on 7-for-15 shooting from the floor with 10 rebounds and three assists. Among all starters, he had the worst plus-minus with a minus-17. LeBron James paced Los Angeles with another age-defying performance, scoring 34 points with eight assists and five boards.

The 17-17 Lakers will head back home to start a five-game homestand that begins on Wednesday against the Miami Heat.

Rexwell Villas_headshot

About the Author

Rexwell Villas is a Communications Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, and he claims to have JR Smith’s conscience with his shot selection. He is an experienced sports writer covering a variety of sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and college football. He has won a basketball, a baseball, and a football championship in fantasy all within a year.