LOS ANGELES -- Tuesday's loss to the Golden State Warriors saw the debut of the Lakers' new Big Three. Although Russell Westbrook's, LeBron James' and Anthony Davis's first court time together was a defeat that dropped L.A. to 0-5 in the exhibition schedule, the postgame message was one of patience, but also a positive message.
James said that it would take some time for the team to become the team they know they can be. He had 17 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals. We're going have moments when we aren't quite there. Sometimes we may have to take steps backwards. It's part of the... If it isn't worth the effort, I don't think anything is worth having."
Westbrook, who made his way to the Lakers by convincing the Washington Wizards that he seek a deal, looked his best in purple and gold. This is not surprising considering he shot 4-for-19 with 16 turnovers his first two games. His speed on the open court, when surrounded by so much talent, will make a big difference this season.
After finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds, Westbrook stated, "We had some great spurts." He also added that he had 6 assists, 5 turnovers, and 6 rebounds. It's the first match. There are many positive things that we can learn from it. It can encourage us a bit.
James is looking for a fifth ring to tie his career total with Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan. Moral victories are meaningless to him. The 19-year-old veteran promised to lead his group through the early stages.
He said, "Me, as leader, my job it is not to get frustrated." "If I don’t get frustrated, it will trickle down on to everyone else," he said. I have never been one to be okay with being imperfect. However, I also understand that things can take time. We'll be fine as long as we keep the main point the main issue and stay on the same page throughout the whole thing with our ballclub."
Davis did a great job against Golden State. He scored 20 points on 7-for-12 from the field, and led the Lakers with 6 rebounds 2 steals 2 blocks. His first glimpse at L.A.'s new lineup, which saw him start at the 5 with James, Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony, was a great encouragement.
Davis stated, "We saw some amazing things with me, Bron, and Russ in motion." "There are endless possibilities. There are many things we can do and run. ... Even though there were some good things, there are many things we can do better.
LeBron James, a partner with Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, said that it would take time for them to be the team they know they are capable of becoming. Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers will close the preseason on Thursday against the Sacramento Kings. They have one week before the regular season begins and then they'll be back at home against the Warriors.
The Lakers still have a lot of work ahead of them before they can produce a finished product. Trevor Ariza (ankle surgery), is expected to miss at most two months. Talen Horton Tucker (thumb surgery), will be sidelined for around a month. Kendrick Nunn and Wayne Ellington (right ankle and left hamstring), both sat out Tuesday along with Malik Monk, who will be out for about another week.
"So, these guys don’t play, how do we integrate them?" Davis said. Davis said.
The Lakers have a 82-game season ahead of them. This group cares only about 16 wins between April and June.
Frank Vogel, Lakers coach, said that it could take a year for us to be at our best. However, we should be there in the playoffs. "But we are determined to get the job done and make sure things work as well as possible. ... It's understandable to expect some bumpy nights early on in the season. But we knew that two years ago, and we were able to jump out of the gate quite strong. That's what we hope for.
