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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

The 2023-24 season hasn’t quite gone according to plan for the Los Angeles Lakers. A season that began with so much promise stands on the brink of ending with a whimper, as the Lakers succumbed to another defeat yesterday. Their loss to division rivals, the Sacramento Kings, has pushed the Lakers further away from a guaranteed playoff spot. While the loss saw several LA Lakers falling short, Anthony Davis struggled the most.

The Lakers star had a rough evening, struggling to contain the Kings’ center, Domantas Sabonis. Sabonis managed to record 16 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists with AD as his primary defender. On the contrary, Davis could only score 14 points and grab 11 boards. However, it wasn’t Sabonis who grabbed the spotlight, but his running mate, De’Aaron Fox, who took center stage with a whopping 44 points.

Following the Kings’ impressive victory over the Lakers, ESPN analyst Shannon Sharpe called Fox the “Laker Killer,” and there’s a reason behind that. This season, Fox has faced the Lakers on three occasions, and in those meetings, Fox has averaged 36.3 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.3 rebounds. Sharpe further added, “He (Fox) outscored AD, D-Lo, and Austin Reaves by himself. They had 42 between the three, and he had 44.”

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While the Lakers remain contenders for a secured playoff berth, their recent performance against Sacramento doesn’t instill much confidence in the current roster. But despite the setback against the Sacramento Kings, the Lakers have demonstrated significant improvement in their recent performances. With Anthony Davis and LeBron James, the Lakers can surely be a formidable foe in the playoffs. However, Anthony Davis’ response following the Lakers’ loss to the Kings has surprised numerous fans, with many suggesting a negative mindset on Davis’ part.

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Anthony Davis’ concerning post-match remarks

Anthony Davis is no ordinary Joe. He has won an NBA title with the Lakers in 2020 and has won several All-Star and All-NBA accolades. So, that’s why his remarks after the Lakers’ loss to Sacramento have garnered so much attention. Following the Kings’ defeat, AD said, “It was a game that we needed and we came out with all the energy. Both ends of the floor. Then the second quarter dictated the game. It sucks.”

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The Lakers to the Kings could have far-reaching consequences on the race for the Western Conference playoff spots. Currently, the Kings hold the 7th spot with 25 wins out of 61 games, while the Lakers are close behind in the 10th spot with 34 wins out of 64 games. With the race for playoff spots so fierce, losing against a division rival could prove to be costly. Could Anthony Davis and the Lakers bounce back from this setback? Let us know in the comments below!

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