The Los Angeles Lakers are on an absolute roll as they have managed to beat Memphis Grizzlies on their home turf. The only thing that would have kept the Lakers fan nervous this Sunday would have been Grizzlies’ astonishing home record. But that did not seem like a problem as every player rose to the occasion to capitalize on the moment. It was their young and dynamic players who brought a major impact on the game leading to the victory. LeBron James and Anthony Davis also had a role to play but more on the defensive side.
Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves were the main stars of the game as they brought glory to their club. The two were on different levels rolling, playmaking, and scoring 52 points combined. Moreover, it was the first game for any team in the NBA to have four players score more than 20 points in a playoff game. The count could have easily turned to five if D’Angelo Russell could have added another point to his 19 on Sunday. In the meantime, there are some internal battles that Rui Hachimura faces in the Lakers. Keep reading to know how Anthony Davis treats young players.
RUI HACHIMURA DOWN THE LANE WITH AUTHORITY 😤 pic.twitter.com/QegaEJrsut
— ESPN (@espn) April 16, 2023
Anthony Davis Mocks Rui Hachumura For His Dunk On Him
The 25-year-old finds himself right at home among some of the best players in the NBA. He is often seen saying that his teammates make him feel more confident and more aggressive on the court. And this support was the key to his preparation before the game against the Grizzlies. But Hachimura is still a young player and might get a little bullied by his older teammates. And Anthony Davis capitalizes on this point to mock him about his old dunk video on him.
"I always mess with Rui. He has this clip saved on his phone of him dunking on me when he was in Washington, and he shows Austin all the time… He said, 'Watch, I'm gonna dunk on somebody this series.' And it happened in Game 1."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) April 17, 2023
🗣️ Anthony Davispic.twitter.com/3wPcJyUS7i
The 29-year-old said that Rui’s dunks are not elite but rather regular. “I always mess with Rui,” Davis said. He also revealed that they gave him a hard time about it. But the youngster takes this mocking in high spirits and asks his teammate to stay tuned for his performance. Hachimura said,” ‘Watch, I’m gonna dunk on someone this series.” And Davis admitted in an interview that he did it in the first round. It is truly a special bond that has happened among the Lakers players, and it is visible on the court.
The Lakers Foward Credits Coach Phil Randy
When the game began, Rui only had 15 games under his belt in which he scored three 3-pointers in the games. But when the game ended, he had the best performance of his life with five three-pointers. The Lakers forward stood highly grateful to his assistant coach Phil Randy who made him practice those shots.
Prior to the last playoff games, Rui was not much trusted with the high stake games in his previous team. But the performance he pulled off last night will be remembered as his benchmark. And now he will always have to push to do much better in his upcoming games.