The Los Angeles Lakers headed into Game 2 of their first-round playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday in very good shape after taking Game 1 convincingly.
Momentum was on L.A.’s side, and, better yet, Ja Morant was out of action due to a soft tissue bruise he sustained on his right hand late in Sunday’s Game 1.
But instead of planting their feet, making a stand and putting a stranglehold on the series, the Lakers were outplayed and outhustled by a Memphis team that simply acted as if it needed Game 2 much more than them. As a result, LeBron James and crew fell 103-93.
Team legend Magic Johnson put the blame squarely on his former squad.
The Lakers have no one to blame but themselves. They didn’t come ready to play, that’s why they lost 101-93 to an undermanned Memphis team.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 20, 2023
While the Lakers should be criticized for lacking the requisite level of effort, energy and intensity to defeat a feisty Memphis team on Wednesday, they’re still in relatively good shape moving forward.
They do have the all-important home-court advantage, and the series will move to Los Angeles beginning on Saturday evening for Game 3, which will give them another opportunity to take control of the best-of-seven matchup.
