The Lakers continued their preseason with a fifth loss for as many games, and the first of the “Big Three” did not change much since the team lost this night to the Warriors, deprived of Stephen Curry. and Draymond Green. Obviously, with ten new players, the automatisms are not yet there, and LeBron James is the first to ask for patience.
“It’s going to take us a while to become the team that we think we can become. It is simply a matter of working the “process”, of being patient with this “process”, of being aware that we are going to go through moments of frustration. There will be times when we are not quite to the point. We may take two steps back. But that’s part of… I don’t think you get anything for nothing ”.
Exactly, how long will this “Process” last? “Frankly, I have no answer to give you” Russell Westbrook warns. “I know it’s a question everyone asks, but no one really has an answer. Like any other team, it is by playing that we will find answers, and there is no need to have them on October 18 or 19, the date of the first game. We have one goal in mind, and that is to win the title. So, during the season, there will be ups and downs, there will be adversity… And as long as we remain united and on the same wavelength, that’s all that matters. “
“There are endless possibilities”
And Russell Westbrook still draws positive from this premiere alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. “We had a few good times… Obviously, this is the first game. But we can get some good things out of it. It’s encouraging. “
Same optimism with Anthony Davis, at least on the attack side: “We saw some great things with me Bron and Russ in action. There are endless possibilities, things we can do and do. Especially with shooters on the opposite side like Melo and Baze ‘, and all of our shooters. There are still some adjustments. We did it a lot in training but it was our first time playing together tonight. And while there have been some good things, there are a lot of things we can improve. We can still work on our defensive patterns collectively. “
“Ideally, it is when it comes time to attack the playoffs that we are at our best level”
For LeBron James, the most important thing is to be patient, and not to give in to frustration. “Personally, as a leader, my job is not to be frustrated. If I’m not frustrated I think it will spill over to everyone else. I have never been someone who accepts that I am not excellent. But I also realize that things take time. As long as I don’t lose sight of the essentials, that I remain attentive to everything that is happening in our team, everything will be fine. “
In the end, it is Frank Vogel who best sums up the situation with the Lakers who want to get off to a good start to gain confidence and build automatisms, while being aware that the most important thing is to be at your best level in the field. home stretch.
“It may take us all year to really be at our best level, and ideally, it’s when we attack the playoffs that we are at our best” concludes the Lakers coach. “But we have in mind to start strong with things that go as well as possible. But it is also reasonable to anticipate that there will be a few complicated nights at the start of the season. It was the same two years ago, and we attacked the season hard. This is what we hope. “
