The Los Angeles Lakers had stitched together the right formula. They were on a three-game winning streak just before going off for the All-Star break. They found a period of eight days to rest, recollect their thoughts, and face the grueling season once again. Stuck at the cusp of being eliminated from even the play-in tournament, each game holds significance. A loss not only drops their record but also heightens their frustrations.

Without LeBron James, they faced a fully healthy Golden State Warriors. The matchup was lob-sided from the very beginning. Stephen Curry and his forces crushed the Purple and Gold. They outshot them 39% to 28% from three. Additionally, their defense left Anthony Davis as the only impact-making force.

They are still three games above .500. However, a loss to their own conference rivals hurts deeply. Considering they aren’t even the best team, the anger has infected the Lakers group.

D’Angelo Russell expresses frustration after Lakers drop game to the Warriors

The Warriors reeled off their Chef, who set the tone from the very first quarter. Stephen Curry stepped into his rhythm. Once he is in that realm, no masterful defense compares. He scored 25 in the first half, and the Bya went up 11. They never let go of that momentum from there. Wiggins and Draymond Green‘s timely scoring kept the Lakers at a safe distance.

For the visiting team, it was Davis who logged his 42nd double-double of the season. He finished with 27 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks. D’Angelo Russell added 18 on 40% from the field. The Laker bench was outscored by 15, the leading scorer being Max Christie with nine.

It was a huge step back from the three-game winning streak the Lakers were high on before returning from the All-Star break. Likewise, the team wasn’t happy with their appalling performance.

Speaking to the media, Russell said, “no excuse but obviously we weren’t as sharp as we wanted to be,”. However, he still bears confidence that the Lakers will find their feet once again. “We’ll be alright,” he said.

Luckily for the Lakers, LeBron James won’t be out for an extended period of time. Darwin Ham, the head coach said it’s a day-to-day injury, which is indicative that the 39-year-old will be back soon. His involvement within this group is instrumental for the Lakers to inch towards a successful campaign.

Building consistency and breeding the right culture is of utmost importance. They are yet to have a completely healthy roster. The true identity of this side is still unknown. With Dinwiddie, Vincent, and Vanderbilt all yet to play together, there is still some optimism as far as improving their second unit goes.

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The only complication is that they are running against the test of time. Will they have enough opportunity to test out their tactics?

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