Nba, Davis and the Lakers failure: “We were from the title, then the injuries …”

It hurts. Indeed, very badly. The Lakers are in the belly of the Footprint Center, the home of the Phoenix Suns best NBA team, wondering why they failed, because this 2021-22 in which they started out to be special has turned into the most sensational failure of their glorious history. I’m out of everything, even from the Play-In which after the All Star Game seemed an almost obvious lifesaver: instead the defeat of Phoenix, still with LeBron James looking in plain clothes, opens the doors of the post-season antechamber in New Orleans and San Antonio. And the Lakers are left with only the disappointment. The one that Anthony Davis tries to express, with his eyes hidden by sunglasses. “We were entitled, we had everything we needed. Instead…”.

Accidents

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Instead, according to AD, injuries got in the way, starting with those he had, on the pitch for only 40 of the 79 seasonal matches. “The goal of this team was to win the title and we were convinced that we had everything we needed, especially after the end of the training camp – says Davis, who is about to close his third season in Los Angeles -. Then the injuries began. got in the way and they made the difference in our season. I mean, we have more starting quintets than victories (39 to 31, ed). When you are forced to start players who are not used to being one and who from 10 ‘ they are used to suddenly find themselves having to play 30 and having a more important role than they usually do not go anywhere “.

Big 3

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Injuries, according to Davis, are also what undermined the construction of the never-born understanding between him, LeBron and Russell Westbrook. “We have lost games in which we have played all three, true, but we were sure we could understand how to play well together if we had more minutes on the pitch together. Instead it did not happen – continues Amaro Davis -. It is not possible to compete for the title. if your three best players don’t spend enough time together on the pitch. And with the three of us, we really thought we could be special. ”

Regret

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This is Davis’ biggest regret: not knowing what the Lakers could have been, what this team could have become if he, James and Westbrook had more time together. “We could have been special, I’m still convinced of this – he says in a faint voice -. The most disappointing thing is precisely that, not knowing what it would have been: we are disappointed that we never had the chance to play with the full team. I was the first to be out for a long time and as a team leader it really hurt me not to be on the pitch helping my teammates when they needed me most. ”

Future

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With the last 3 games to play now only for the sake of signing (Davis, still struggling with his right foot injury, could even skip them), it is already time for the Lakers to think about the future. “We would like to see what this team can be, because I am convinced that without the injuries we could have won – he repeats like a mantra AD -. I am convinced that if LeBron and I had played all season together, as in the 2020 title team. , we could have been special. I wish I had the chance to prove it. ” It sounds so much of regret, more than of hope, because after such a fiasco a revolution at all levels seems inevitable. Davis prefers not to think about it now. He still has to digest a failure he didn’t expect.