With the defeat in Phoenix, it is clear that the Los Angeles Lakers will not be participating in this season’s postseason. Anthony Davis still believes this team had what it takes to win a championship.
“I am extremely disappointed,” said manager Frank Vogel immediately following the 110: 121 defeat to the Suns. “We disappointed our fans and the Buss family who gave us this opportunity. We wanted to bring success to the Lakers, but we didn’t make it.”
Just two years from the Orlando bubble championship, the postseason will take place without the 17-time champion for the first time since 2019. Even before the season the Lakers were considered one of the big favorites for the title, now the season is halfway through. April. “It wasn’t for the action,” Vogel defended his team. “It has been a difficult season, we are all disappointed”.
Vogel pointed out the franchise’s bad luck with injuries. Both Anthony Davis and LeBron James have gone out several times, and the superstar duo have only played 22 games together. The draw of 11-11 with the two is still poor. Russell Westbrook’s exchange also did not bring the desired success, the point guard has been repeatedly criticized and is considered a commercial candidate for the off-season.
Lakers: Anthony Davis sees the championship team
If Westbrook gets his way, he will still be on the pitch for the Lakers in 2022/23. When asked if the guard regrets not sharing the pitch with James and Davis more often, the former All-Star said: “Sure, that’s the plan, but there are no promises (…) Sure that we want to see how the three of us look together in an 82-game season. “
AD took the same line and expressed disappointment that the team never had a chance to compete with a full roster. Davis himself has only been available in 40 games so far and also regretted being one of the leaders who had to let the team down with him.
“Our goal was the championship and I still think we had everything on the team for that. But the many injuries prevented it, that has been the difference this season,” said Davis. “We had more than five different starts than victories.”
Lakers: changes are coming
The Lakers are unlikely to return to this form. There are still commercial rumors about Westbrook and Coach Vogel’s chair is shaking a lot. According to information from Jake Fischer (Bleacher report) the Lakers would like to replace the 2020 master coach, Quin Snyder (Jazz) and Doc Rivers (Sixers) are swapped as successors.
Of course, no one declined to comment on those rumors. Carmelo Anthony also kept a low profile when asked if there were already internal talks to try again with the same team. “It’s too early for that,” Melo said. “We still have three games to play and it would be very selfish for anyone to think that far.”
The Lakers have only won 31 of 79 games this season, up from 42 last year with a reduced playing time of 72 games.
Los Angeles Lakers: the balance from the arrival of LeBron James
| Saison | balance | Platz | Playoffs |
| 2018/19 | 37-45 | 10. | lost |
| 2019/20 | 52-19 | 1. | Sample |
| 2020/21 | 42-30 | 7. | Out in the first round |
| 2021/22 | 31-48 | 11. | lost |
