“I’ve never seen something like that” - Magic Johnson on scuffle between LA Lakers teammates Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard
Anthony Davis and the LA Lakers have endured a disastrous start to the 2021-22 NBA season after back-to-back losses.
Some NBA teams that have won championships in the past have lost their first couple of games and have then managed to steady the ship. However, the dismal performances of the Lakers and their questionable attitude have set alarm bells ringing in Tinseltown.
The LA Lakers looked out-hustled and lacked energy as they were routed by the Phoenix Suns despite a late surge in the fourth quarter. The Lakers, known for their stringent interior defense, conceded 52 points in the paint, with the Suns driving inside at will.
However, the highlight of the game happened on the sidelines and not on the court. Lakers superstar Anthony Davis got into a heated argument with center Dwight Howard during a timeout in the first half. It later turned out to be a mini kerfuffle over a misunderstanding on the court.
Arguments and mini-scuffles happen all the time in practices and games, with the environment usually being highly charged due to the competitive nature of the sport. However, the timing of the incident prompted questions over the LA Lakers' chemistry.
LA Lakers legend Magic Johnson has now chimed in with his take on the scuffle. The Hall of Famer said he had never seen anything like it during his 42-year association with the franchise. Here's what he said via a tweet:
"Dwight Howard and AD got into a physical altercation on the bench…in my 42 years of being associated with the Lakers organization, I’ve never seen something like that smh"
Dwight Howard and AD got into a physical altercation on the bench…in my 42 years of being associated with the Lakers organization, I’ve never seen something like that smh
That's a bit of an exaggeration from Magic, an extremely competitive player who came from an era where physical altercations were a common sight.
The Lakers will hope to pick up the pieces and figure things out as they cannot afford more performances like this due to their championship aspirations.
Can Anthony Davis and the LA Lakers figure out their chemistry issues prior to the post-season?
The LA Lakers have the oldest roster in the league, with experienced veterans who have seen it all. Chemistry issues are bound to happen with a squad full of new faces irrespective of how good a player, system or roster is. Learning new defensive and offensive schemes will take a while, and no one expects the Lakers to be cohesive in the first month.
Scuffles, disagreements and arguments are bound to happen in a squad full of competitive players. Hence, it was not surprising to see Dwight Howard and Anthony Davis going at it.
Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard have an altercation on the bench. 😳
https://t.co/OpZTaon1zM
The LA Lakers will eventually figure it out as they possess some of the smartest players in the history of the league, such as Rajon Rondo and LeBron James.
There is no better cure in LA than winning, and Lakeshow will eventually get back on track to prove their doubters wrong and clinch a historic 18th NBA championship.
Also Read: How many rings does Magic Johnson have?