Lakers stay optimistic as Anthony Davis and other injured players work toward return

Author: Editors Desk Source: Los Angeles Times

January 15, 2023 at 09:18

Lakers forward LeBron James chats with injured teammate Anthony Davis on the bench during a game against the Hornets at Crypto.com Arena on Dec. 23.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

In the meantime, there’s still a growing faith in the fill-in players’ abilities to make a difference.

In no world should 13th place feel this good. Yet inside the Lakers’ practice facility on Saturday, there was an understandable sense of optimism from the Western Conference’s third-worst team.

While the Lakers have stumbled and stalled throughout the first half of the season, very few teams have found a consistent stride.

“We like the position we’re in,” Austin Reaves said Saturday. “We’re never content with where we’re at because you want to win every game, but that was really the message at the end of practice. Let’s go make a run and get a good spot.”

The Lakers have a chance to build some momentum, albeit against some good teams, with six of their next seven games at home. More importantly, things seem to be improving for the injured Lakers, a group including Reaves and Lonnie Walker IV, and headlined by Anthony Davis.

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