The Los Angeles Lakers are now officially one game above the .500 mark. The Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets 95-85 at the Staples Center to improve to a 4-3 record on the season. After a shaky start to the first few games of the season, the Lakers are starting to hit their stride. Carmelo Anthony once again had a very strong performance off of the bench. He led the Lakers in scoring by dropping 23 points on 8 of 14 shooting from the field. Anthony also knocked down five three-pointers on the night. Anthony spoke postgame about the misconceptions of him not being a team player and being able to adapt. He is proving that wrong so far this season.
“I think people don’t really understand me,” Anthony said. “I think there’s a misconception out there about me not being able to adapt to situations. I’m easily adaptable to any situation and I’ve always tried to adapt to any situation I’ve been in. This is an easy adaptation for me just being here and being around the guys, being ready, staying ready, understanding what’s needed and being prepared.”
Anthony also had a strong performance on the defensive side of the ball. He had four blocks and two steals this game. Lakers Head Coach Frank Vogel had high praise for Anthony’s gutsy defensive showing.
“I didn’t expect to see him have the defensive performance that he did, he was great,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “The steals and blocks, he’s always good with his hands. He was in the right position … He’s willing to do all these things and he can do all these things. When he’s providing that kind of performance on the defensive side with the way he’s shooting it, he’s a huge part of our win.”
More Lakers Contributions
- Russell Westbrook scored 20 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and dished out nine assists.
- Anthony Davis scored 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.
- LeBron James scored 15 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished out eight assists.
The Lakers face the Houston Rockets again in Los Angeles on Tuesday, 11/2. Tip-off is at 10:30 pm Eastern/ 7:30 pm Pacific from the Staples Center.
