“Don’t Know Who They Are”: Kendrick Perkins Offers Critique and Advice to Lakers After Hawks AET Loss
Image Source: NBA Analysis Network
Kendrick Perkins, a former NBA player and sports analyst, again criticised the Los Angeles Lakers over their narrow loss to the Atlanta Hawks last evening. A narrow battle between the two teams, which ended in scores of 134-132, concluded with a game loss by the Los Angeles Lakers. The loss prompted Perkins to question the identity and overall performance of the Lakers in the game.
“They don’t know what they can do and what their capability is,” he said bluntly. “On one night, they play like champions; but the next time, they even struggle to finish games against weak teams. This is not the Lakers I have seen,” Perkins said while talking with ESPN Sports.
An Inconsistent Performance
The loss of the Lakers to the Hawks has been very significant over the years in terms of their history. LeBron James gave a brilliant performance in the match, as he stood out in this game with a triple-double, scoring 39 points; however, he missed a three-pointer at the buzzer. Anthony Davis also contributed to this effort, scoring 38 points in the match. Meanwhile, the best performance of the day came from Trae Young, who stole the show with his 31 points and 20 assists, including a three-pointer in the game’s final moments. Despite the overtime, the Lakers failed to capitalise on the time, with their performance at its lowest of all time in the day. They struggled with defensive positioning and missed many opportunities during peak moments of the game.
Perkins’ Analysis of the Loss
While talking with ESPN, Perkins criticised the Lakers’ performance and their accountability for the loss in the game. “Both LeBron James and Anthony Davis are incredible players, but they should seriously look at how they’re leading the Lakers,” he said. “Just scoring leading points is not enough; everyone on the team should be held accountable on the defensive end and make sure everyone’s role in the team is clear,” Perkins further added in his analysis of this Lakers’ loss.
Perkins questioned the quality and performance of two key Lakers players, LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He expressed his frustration about the contributions of the supporting cast in the match. “D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves have to step up,” Perkins said. “LeBron and AD cannot do everything. It will be a long season if they don’t get consistent performance from their players,” he further added.
Perkins’ Advice
While advising the Lakers, Perkins said they need to establish their identity and focus on overall team performance. He added, “Are they a dysfunctional team, or are they a defensive team now? Right now, they’re stuck in no man’s land,” he said. “Darvin Ham, from his own capacity, needs to figure this out and should support the team’s overall strengths.”
While analysing the performance of the Lakers, Perkins raised an essential point about the Lakers’ performance in crunch time. “They’ve got to clean up their late-game turnovers and make smarter decisions. Championship teams don’t beat themselves.”
After the interview, he called for urgency from the Lakers. “The Atlanta Hawks are less competitive than the Los Angeles team. If the Lakers do not fix their issues soon, they’ll land themselves in the play-in situation in the tournament—I mean, their conditions will get worse day by day.”
What Should Be the Plan for the Lakers?
The Lakers are standing at a crucial spot in the standings. They have to face crucial plays against their rivals, the Western Hawks. One can easily undervalue the brilliance of the Lakers, but that is the situation the team must now cooperate with, fixing their game flaws. That will determine their future performance in the game.
Meanwhile, Perkins’ critique is essential for the team and its members. The question is, can this team come back with a brilliant performance in the upcoming game? Can they rediscover their actual capabilities or not?
Stay tuned for more…
Team Profile
- Freelance Journalist
- Muzafar Hamid, a resident of Srinagar, Kashmir, India, holds a master's degree in journalism and is currently undertaking a PhD program at the University of Kashmir. His academic pursuits and professional interests revolve around politics, sports, education, food, tourism, entertainment, and international events. Alongside his studies, Muzafar enjoys cricket and singing, finding fulfillment in a diverse range of activities.
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