The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Utah Jazz with a score of 138-122 on Wednesday, marking their sixth victory in the last seven games as they head into the NBA All-Star break.
Anthony Davis, who finished with 37 points and 15 rebounds, described this achievement as a clear statement of the team’s potential.
“[It’s] not what we can be, but it’s who we are,” Davis said. “We’re starting to establish that we’re going to be a fast-paced team, a team that likes to get into the paint, get to the line. But also be tenacious on the defensive end. Creating that identity for what we have to be moving forward.
“We can’t be coming back from All-Star and [wonder], ‘All right, what type of team are we?’ This is what we have to be. This is who we are. And we’ve got to make sure how we’re playing as of late, the past two, three, four weeks, keeping that identity and carrying it over into post-All-Star.”
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Despite currently ranking ninth in the Western Conference, the Lakers have improved their record to 30-26, reaching four games above .500 for the first time since winning the in-season tournament in mid-December.
After adding Spencer Dinwiddie, the Lakers appear encouraged by the pieces they have around LeBron James and Davis. With D’Angelo Russell elevating his game recently, along with Austin Reaves finding a rhythm, the backcourt rotation appears to be reaching a needed level.
One player the Lakers acknowledged as needing to step up on a consistent basis is Rui Hachimura, who provided significant, timely contributions during last year’s run to the Western Conference Finals.
“We need Rui to be great in order for us to be great,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “He’s one of the main pieces for us, and when he’s playing like that, along with all of the other weapons we have, we’re a pretty hard to team beat.”
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Hachimura is ready to embrace his role as the “X factor” for the Lakers. Whether he’s starting or coming off the bench, he understands that his combination of size and skill make him a helpful chesspiece for Los Angeles to utilize as a difference-making talent.
“I want to be the X factor for the team, either coming off the bench or starting, whatever that is, offensively, defensively, everything,” Hachimura said. “Just got to be aggressive, use my size, whatever it takes to win.”
The Lakers return from the All-Star break with a matchup against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, February 22, with the game at Chase Center.
