"Our mindset is to go 5-0 in these games and let the chips fall where they may" - Anthony Davis still optimistic to salvage a seemingly-over LA Lakers season with 5 games remaining
Anthony Davis' return sparked a renewed hope in the hearts of all the LA Lakers fans. In his absence, the team failed to find wins and with the season reaching its business end, his return was certainly a big boost for them. He scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in 36 minutes, but despite that, the Purple and Gold yet again suffered a disappointing loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
This was an important game for the team and a loss here would definitely have big consequences for them. However, Anthony Davis is confident that the team can turn the tables around with a 5-0 run in their remaining games. Speaking about the road ahead, Davis said in his post-game interview that:
"We know the situation that we are in, and even though I've got soreness in my foot, he's got soreness in his ankle, we felt like this was the game we had to play and obviously the next five games as well just try to control what we can control. Our mindset is to go 5-0 in these games and let the chips fall where it may. We dropped this one, but have five left to try to, you know, control what we can control and hopefully things will fall in our favor. "
The LA Lakers' next five games include matchups against the likes of the Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns. All of these teams have done extremely well this season and to get the better of them is going to be a humungous task. However, if Anthony Davis and LeBron James are able to play together, they can definitely make it happen. When asked if he believed or hoped the Lakers would go 5-0 in their remaining games, Davis replied by saying:
"I think it is a lot of belief, I mean we know what we're fighting for, we know the position that we're in and we're playing against top teams beside OKC, so I think we have to believe, I don't think it's hope, we don't play off a hope man, let's hope we win this game, we have to believe and I believe and I know this guy to my left believes and everyone in that lockeroom believes, you know we gotta go out and get it done, it's that simple, like we have to win these games and we gotta have that approach."
How important is Anthony Davis to the LA Lakers in their upcoming games?
Anthony Davis has averaged 23.1 PPG and 9.8 RPG this season. However, he has only been able to play 38 games for the LA Lakers due to injuries. In his absence, the Purple and Gold have a 14-25 record, which is proof of how important he is to the team.
Anthony Davis is one of the best defensive players in the league. He has been the anchor of Frank Vogel's defensive plans and with him being out injured, they have struggled to get going on that end of the floor. The team has failed to keep their opponents below 110 points in eleven straight games, which is one of the main reasons behind their poor run of form.
To close out the season, the Lakers will be up against some of the best offensive teams in the league. Anthony Davis' return will be a big boost for them as he can help the team on the defensive end, while LeBron James takes charge of the offense. A 5-0 run to end the regular season will definitely be a brilliant end to a horrendous campaign, but for that to happen, all the players will have to stay locked in and give their best.