Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick, right, talks with forward Anthony Davis, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves , on Friday, December 13, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Lakers star center Anthony Davis believes Los Angeles will have to rely on his strength when it hosts the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA on Sunday night.
The Lakers failed to do so on Friday, when they lost 97-87 to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Davis finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds, but he also had four of Los Angeles’ season-high 22 turnovers.
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After watching his team fail to take a lead against Minnesota, Davis is trying to make sure the Lakers bring a higher level of intensity into their meeting with Memphis.
READ: NBA: Timberwolves beat Lakers without LeBron James
“Being physical,” Davis said when asked how Los Angeles was going to compete with the Grizzlies. “We’re playing a physical team, and they’ll try to create turnovers with their physicality and their disruption on the ball, their passing lanes, things like that.”
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Davis is also hoping for a much cleaner performance than the Lakers put up on Friday.
“Once we take care of the basketball and get some ball and body movement, we can score,” Davis said. “But we can’t have 22 turnovers like we did (against the Timberwolves).”
Superstar LeBron James faces missing his third straight game for Los Angeles as he continues to nurse a left foot injury. James, 39, is averaging 23.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game this season and is listed as questionable for Sunday.
READ: Only LeBron of the Lakers knows what’s happening right now and what’s happening in his future
LeBron averaged 37.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 10.0 assists in two games against Memphis this season. The Grizzlies and Lakers split those meetings, with Los Angeles winning the last game 128-123 on November 13.
Since then, Memphis has been on fire, going 11-3 in its last 14 games.
“We’re progressing and developing right now, and I’m really excited about where this group is going over the last couple of weeks,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said earlier this week. “Are we going to maintain our pace? We are committed to relying on our depth.
“Defensively, we made progress in our pick-and-roll coverages and our one-on-one defense improved. But it’s all about consistency. This is what we discussed with the team during this period.
Memphis’ tremendous run includes a four-game winning streak that includes a 127-121 road victory over the defending champion Boston Celtics. The Grizzlies are coming off a 135-119 victory over the Nets on Friday.
Ja Morant led the way against Brooklyn with 28 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists, while Desmond Bane finished with 21 points and Jaren Jackson Jr. and Santi Aldama each had 20.
“We have to be proud of (the recent improvements),” Aldama said before a four-day break that preceded the win against the Nets. “Take advantage of this time off and get back to work. … Use these practice days to our advantage and kind of suppress the things that we need to get better at.
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Big men Zach Edey (ankle) and Jay Huff (knee) are questionable for Memphis on Sunday, as is guard Marcus Smart (knee). –Field level media
