Thursday night marked the continuation of the Los Angeles Lakers’ decline with a 118-111 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, whose losing sequence reached a season-low four games. Without LeBron James, losing to the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference on the second night of a road back-to-back does not seem like a huge issue in isolation. However, as each setback passes, the Lakers begin to sense the pressure increase. 

Anthony Davis, who recorded a career-high 31 points, eight rebounds, and four assists in the loss to the Wolves, stated that the team views Saturday’s travel to Oklahoma City as a “must-win.” The following are Davis’s elaborate reflections:

“The NBA season has begun. Undoubtedly, fluctuations are anticipated. We are currently in that down period, having suffered four consecutive losses. We are well aware of the caliber of team that we are capable of becoming after enduring the adversity of being eliminated and advancing to the Western Conference finals last season. 

“We must simply return to winning; that is all that remаins. Undoubtedly, there will be ups and downs during the NBA season; all that is required is to persevere, continue to play, play diligently, exert effort, and exert energy. We consider Saturday an absolute must-win.”

The Lakers are 1-6 since their victory in the inaugural In-Season Tournament and are 15-14, which ranks them tenth in the Western Conference. Their only triumph throughout this period was over the lowly San Antonio Spurs, who would subsequently prevail over them a few days later, putting an end to their 18-game losing streak. 

Absences and fatigue have significantly contributed to the Lakers’ difficulties. After the Lakers’ Monday loss to the New York Knicks, James joked, “Have you seen Indiana’s record since Las Vegas?” In context, the Pacers’ record since the IST championship finale is a dismal 2-5. 

Since their IST semi-final matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans on December 7, the Lakers have traveled to attend just one of their eight games over the past 15 days. Since the IST, only Austin Reaves, Taurean Prince, and Rui Hachimura have made their primary rotation debuts in all seven contests. 

On the court, the Lakers’ offense has increased marginally during this decline due to enhanced three-point shooting, but only from a position in the bottom third of the league. The defense, meanwhile, has performed marginally worse despite remaining a top-10 unit. They have likely performed better overall than their record indicates, but that is irrelevant. 

Davis’s sense of urgency serves as a poignant reminder to the Lakers that things are anything but certainties in a Western Conference that is deeply competitive. Particularly considering the precarious nature of their Play-In Tournament standing and the fact that their remaining schedule ranks fourth most difficult in the league. 

After their Saturday matchup against the Thunder, the Lakers will host the 21-6 Boston Celtics on Christmas Day. Following that, the Los Angeles Ramblers will be able to recuperate until Thursday, December 28th, when they will host the Charlotte Hornets. However, the calendar year will conclude with back-to-back road contests against the Timberwolves and Pelicans.