It was one of the games that showed what Davis is capable of when focused and we could be seeing more of with the offense set to run through him.Ī victory here for the Lakers could give them a statement win to cap a tough road trip. Going head-to-head with Embiid, Davis was dominant with 31 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks while operating primarily in the paint as opposed to the perimeter. Last season in Philadelphia may have been Davis’ best game of the season. Philly should once again be one of the best teams in the East and a win on the road here could show that the Lakers are better than some expect them to be. The other major contest of that six-game road trip involves a trip to Philadelphia to face perennial MVP candidate Joel Embiid and the 76ers. Los Angeles Lakers Philadelphia 76ers – Friday, December 9 Davis can do the same if he see Giannis in that light and plans to put himself back in that category. Giannis still views LeBron as the benchmark so he looks to go all out. This is also the first game of the Lakers’ longest road trip of the season, six games.ĭirect competition tends to drive the greats.
The former MVP dominated the Lakers last season with 40-point performances in both contests and ending any argument about the league’s premier athletic forward.
Now, Ham will head back to face the coach who helped shape his own philosophies and the team that got him a championship ring as a coach.įor the Lakers, and Davis in particular, this is an opportunity to show he is still at the level of Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. Ham followed head coach Mike Budenholzer from Atlanta to Milwaukee and made a huge impact, helping the Bucks to the 2021 NBA Championship. New Lakers head coach Darvin Ham makes his return to the place where he had been since 2018. Los Angeles Lakers Milwaukee Bucks – Friday, December 2 The Lakers definitely haven’t forgotten how things went down last year and will be looking forward to turning the tide in this budding rivalry. With Devin Booker and Chris Paul leading the way, and big man DeAndre Ayton now locked in, Phoenix should again be one of the top teams in the West despite their flame out in the playoffs last season. Things were pretty heated between these teams following their 2021 playoff matchup and it almost seemed as if they took pleasure in dominating the Lakers last year. Speaking of rivalries that have picked up over the last couple seasons, and teams that swept the Lakers last year, enter the Phoenix Suns. Los Angeles Lakers Phoenix Suns – Tuesday, November 22
James and Davis will be sure to fight that every step of the way and the contests between these two teams have taken on a playoff atmosphere over the last few seasons making this a must-watch.Īdditionally, the Clippers swept the Lakers last season and the team definitely hasn’t forgotten that with this game being the first chance to forget last season’s disappointment. Much like the Lakers, there are a ton of questions surrounding the Clippers as well as health has undone them in the last couple seasons.īut should both teams be healthy, it will be a star-studded affair with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George looking to cement the Clippers as the best team in the city. The Lakers don’t get an easy start to the season as Opening Night is followed by the team’s home opener against their crosstown rival Los Angeles Clippers. Los Angeles Clippers Los Angeles Lakers – Thursday, October 20 This will also be new head coach Darvin Ham’s first official game in charge, and former Warrior Juan Toscano-Anderson will receive his ring as well. The Warriors, of course, bring back Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, which is sure to keep them among championship favorites so this will be a real test to see where the Lakers stand. This season, the Lakers look to return the favor by ruining ring night for the team who has been the preeminent franchise of the last decade. Last season, the Lakers looked on their way to an impressive Opening Night victory before things fell apart in the fourth quarter in what would become a re-occurring theme of the season. Los Angeles Lakers Golden State Warriors – Tuesday, October 18Īn Opening Night rematch sees the Lakers travel up to the Bay Area to witness the Golden State Warriors receive their championship rings. While the Lakers aren’t the championship favorite they were in previous seasons, they are always a team worth watching and plenty of eyes will be on them this season, but in particular, these 10 contests.