Stephen A. Smith Puts Lakers Big Man Anthony Davis On Notice

The Los Angeles Lakers blew their lead up and lost the game to the Indiana Pacers. It was an unexpected loss, because the Lakers had a strong lead. Lakers head coach Darvin Ham took responsibility for the loss, but Stephen A. Smith has something to say about Anthony Davis and his performance in the second half of the game. Davis finished the game with 25 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, and four blocks.

“The way Anthony Davis has been playing, how the hell do you take two shots in the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers?… Remember, he wants to be the number one option,” Smith said. “Remember, it’s something he’s demanded. It’s something that the Lakers have openly and publicly have acquiesced to…For me, I look at Anthony Davis, and I’m saying ‘Ok, you wanna be that man? Demand the damn ball, get into some people’s faces, tell them to stop messing around and give you the damn ball.”

Darvin Ham doesn’t agree with Ham on his Anthony Davis take

Head coach Ham didn’t place the blame on his players. He considers himself responsible for the bad outcome. Ham believes he should’ve made some adjustments to help his team keep the lead.

“I think us not taking advantage in terms of continuing to play downhill, play with force, continue to move the ball…It’s just one of those things when you get a lead like that, the free throw line allows you to maintain your lead,” Ham said. “I wish we would have been a lot more aggressive, continue playing with pace and also continue to be organized and move the ball. And that falls on me. That falls on me. I’ll take responsibility for that…I have to do a better job of keeping us organized during those stretches offensively.”

"I have to do a better job at keeping us organized." – Darvin Ham takes responsibility for Lakers losing to the Pacers. pic.twitter.com/oRXAtJhn9F

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) November 29, 2022

The Lakers have to try harder to go up the list in the Western Conference. They may lose the chance to make the playoffs this season. Things don’t look too well for the team. Let’s see what happens in the next few weeks. Lakers players shouldn’t lose their grip and lose even more games.