The Los Angeles Lakers were upset with Anthony Davis over the comments he made after the team’s 101-99 Game 2 loss to the Denver Nuggets in their Western Conference first-round playoff series on Monday.
The Lakers led by 15 at halftime but got outscored in each quarter during the second half and lost on Jamal Murray’s winning shot at the buzzer.
Davis was frustrated after the game and vented during his postgame press conference.
“We just don’t know what we’re doing on both ends of the floor … and [it] cost us,” Davis said.
face of the franchise saying these words this late into the season in the middle of a playoff series vs the defending world champs is the biggest indictment of a coach i’ve probably ever seen
anthony davis don’t even be throwing mfs under the bus and even he’s over it
man. pic.twitter.com/seqe1l1v9Y
— Coach Rome (@Rome_Beast) April 23, 2024
Davis seemed to indirectly call out his team’s coaches with those comments. That resulted in Lakers head coach Darvin Ham having to defend himself on Wednesday when asked about what Davis had said.
Darvin Ham said he took Anthony Davis’ comments after G2 that the Lakers “have stretches when we don’t know what we’re doing” as “frustration”, and he’ll “agree to disagree” with AD.
Ham said the Lakers coaching staff prides itself on being organized. pic.twitter.com/WtEzhYiW4I
— michael corvo (@michaelcorvo_) April 24, 2024
Appearing on NBA TV Thursday, reporter Jared Greenberg said the Lakers were “upset and disappointed” by what Davis said.
"From speaking with people within the Lakers' organization, they were upset and disappointed quite frankly by AD's comments." @JaredSGreenberg shares an update on Anthony Davis' remarks on LA's coaching plus a look ahead at tonight's Game 3 pic.twitter.com/qStskHrSX8
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 25, 2024
“From speaking with people within the Lakers’ organization, they were upset and disappointed, quite frankly, by AD’s comments, publicly going out there and putting his coach out there like that. Particularly because the Lakers clearly had a good enough understanding of the gameplan Monday to take a 20-point lead,” Greenberg said.
Though it’s not a good look for the Lakers to be pointing fingers after a loss, just as Davis said, the easy fix would come from the team winning Games 3 and 4 in Los Angeles.
The Nuggets lead the series 2-0.
