The Los Angeles Lakers failed to win consecutive games again on Friday night, despite leading the Brooklyn Nets by four points at halftime. They finally lost 130-112, falling below.500 and jeopardizing their Play-In chances once more. Devin Booker scored 50 points for the Phoenix Suns, who defeated the New Orleans Pelicans.
Darvin Ham, head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, claimed his team’s 130-112 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night was the end of excuses.
The Lakers have had a dismal start to the season and have won only seven of their last 20 matches since winning the In-Season Tournament.
Instead, they squandered a six-point advantage in the first half, losing by 24 points in the final two quarters.
“Talk about the tale of two different halves,” he continued. “That first half is what we’re striving for… The inconsistency reared its head in the second half. We need to decide whose team we will be.”
“The time for excuses is done. “We got to play basketball.”
The club has not won back-to-back games this year, and their early-game form showed that they were at their best, but their form fell off a cliff during the second half.
Their total season record is at 21-22, and they remain in 10th place – the last possible Play-In Tournament spot, but the 11th-place Houston Rockets and 12th-place Golden State Warriors could pose a challenge.
big road win! they ain’t all pretty but we fought hard as we could all game!!💙🎱#MileHighBaby pic.twitter.com/ZkJ1bCLNML
— Peyton Watson (@peytonwatson_) January 20, 2024
Elsewhere on Friday night, Joel Embiid scored 36 points and Tyrese Maxey added 32 as the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Orlando Magic 124-109.
The Denver Nuggets were led by Nikola Jokic (34) and Jamal Murray (35) as they defeated the Boston Celtics 102-110. Jokic also had 12 rebounds and nine assists, ending the Celtics’ 20-game home unbeaten streak.
In the days leading up to the game, Jokic was suffering with the death of Golden State Warriors assistant Dejan Milojevic, whom he considered a mentor.
