Lakers' JJ Redick Reveals Reason Anthony Davis Only Took 9 Shots vs Thunder

Davis finished the game with just 15 points.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers 104-93 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday marked the second straight game in which Anthony Davis scored fewer than 20 points in a game. Davis scored 15 points in the Lakers' loss to the Thunder, his second-lowest total of the season.

He attempted just nine shots during the game, his second-fewest of the season. Before Friday's game, Davis put up 19 points in the Lakers' win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Davis has now seen his scoring average drop to 28.4 points per game. This still ranks sixth in the NBA but is a step back from when he was averaging over 30 points per game early in the season.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick credited the Thunder and the Spurs for doing a good job game-planning against Davis in the two games.

“Clearly, a lot of attention to detail on the game plan around him, to be honest with you. Just in terms of a lot of the similar actions we run. We have a bunch of different ways to get him the ball, they’re not necessarily one play, and they had prepared well.” Redick said.

Redick gave credit to Davis for becoming a passer when the Thunder and Spurs schemed to take easy shots away from him.

“When he was able to get the ball in his normal spots, just the amount of bodies, but again, the second straight game that a team has done that, and he’s been a willing passer. Again, seven assists. He didn’t score the ball like he normally scores the ball, but he had an outstanding game,” Redick said.

As Redick noted, Davis recorded seven assists against the Thunder and seven assists versus the Spurs. This is over twice as many as his season average of 3.4 assists per game, and almost three times as many as his career average of 2.5 assists per game.

The issue for the Lakers is they have not found consistent scoring options outside of Davis this season. The Lakers have seen excellent performances from Dalton Knecht and LeBron James at points, but if Davis isn't firing on all cylinders, they do not always have someone to rely on.

The Lakers did go up against a Thunder team that is the top team in the Western Conference, but the Lakers showed they remain a tier below the Thunder at this point.

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