The Los Angeles Lakers were missing their most important player on Tuesday night, and it showed.
With Anthony Davis on the shelf, the Atlanta Hawks put up 138 points against them, getting their way into the restricted area, and knocking down shot after shot.
That’s why Pro Football Hall of Famer — and bona fide Lakers fan — Shannon Sharpe called them out on Twitter, talking about how ’embarrassing’ their defensive effort had been after allowing at least 30 points in every single quarter.
“Lakers didn’t play a lick of defense 2nite. Hawks scored at least 30 every quarter. That’s embarrassing,” Sharpe said.
Lakers didn’t play a lick of defense 2nite. Hawks scored at least 30 very quarter. That’s embarrassing https://t.co/Lii79ycDBS
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) January 31, 2024
Seven Hawks players scored in double digits.
They shot 52% from the field, 42% from beyond the arc, and had 12 offensive rebounds, scoring a whopping 68 points in the paint.
Darvin Ham has struggled with rotations all season long, and while it seemed like he had finally found a solution by turning back to last season’s lineup, the team shows that they simply cannot hold their own on defense without Davis.
This Lakers roster is flawed, and there have been several questions about Ham’s ability to take them the distance.
With the trade deadline closing in, they are looking far from legitimate NBA championship contenders; it wouldn’t be shocking to see them go through yet another major roster overhaul.
LeBron James continues to put up his points and stats, albeit plenty of them in garbage time, and it would be unfair to ask him to carry the load on his own at this point in his career.
Whatever the case, this Lakers team needs to have more pride on defense.
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