LeBron and Lakers prepare for their “next challenge” after winning Game 3

LOS ANGELES – The Lakers’ 127-97 Game 3 win over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday means Los Angeles, for the second straight series, started with a win, followed with a loss and then responded with another win to go up 2-1.

With Los Angeles seemingly in swing — losing 27 on Thursday only to win 30 two days later — LeBron James is urging his teammates to ignore the outside noise that comes in the wake of every game score.

“For the guys who haven’t been in the postseason or haven’t had much experience in the postseason, just stay off the TV and stay off social media,” James advised after putting up 21 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. “You win a game, everybody’s the greatest player in the world; you lose a game, they throw dirt at you. It’s literally that simple. It’s all about training your brain for the next challenge.” and what? the challenge? This game is over, we played well. Well, great. But we got another game on Monday.”

Anthony Davis has become the face of the Lakers’ postseason ups and downs, with some fans suggesting his nickname, A.D., stands for “alternate days,” due to the variance in his night-to-night play.

While it’s only been nine games so far — a small sample size compared to the consistency he’s shown averaging 25.9 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 56 regular season games — Davis’ hot and cold play continued on Saturday.

The series, in particular, opened with 30 points and 23 rebounds in Game 1 wins. He followed it up with 11 and 7 in the Game 2 loss. And then scored 25 points and 13 rebounds in Game 3.

Davis, after the Lakers improved to 6-3 in the playoffs — 10 wins from the title — said he hasn’t heard any criticism of his performance and doesn’t think his style has differed from game to game, even if his numbers are higher.

“I’m not on social media,” said Davis. “My teammates don’t talk about it, my circle, my inner circle don’t talk about it, so I didn’t [heard about it]. This is madness.”

Davis was 7-for-10 from the field in Game 3 and 11-for-12 from the foul line. He was 5-for-11 from the field (1-for-1 on free throws) in Game 2 and 11-for-19 (8-for-8 on free throws) in Game 1.

“The same shots I got in Game1, I got in Game 2. I made Game 1, I missed Game 2,” he said. “The same shots I had in Game 2, in Game 3. And I missed them in Game 2 and I took them in Game 3. So I looked at it like I missed shots. I didn’t do anything differently.”

“I know, especially at this time of year, that I lay it all down and that’s all I can do.”

The biggest change in the Lakers’ approach in Game 3 was for coach Darvin Hamm after Lonnie Walker IV jumped Troy Brown Jr. and Malik Beasley into his rotation. Walker, who played a total of 27 minutes in the playoffs that start Saturday, scored 12 points on 4-for-6 shooting in 25 minutes, adding four rebounds and two steals.

The biggest difference to the Lakers’ effectiveness was the defense surrounding them. After allowing the Warriors to make 42 three-pointers over the first two games—a record for the most 3-pointers in two games to open a series—Golden State shot 13-for-44 (29.5%) in Game 3.

“We’re one of the best defensive teams in the league, if not the best,” James said, repeating the same line he said after losing Game 2. “And to reach our potential, we must defend at a high level. And no single team in this league tests you in this aspect more than Golden State.”

The Lakers know that nothing that happened in Game 3 — including D’Angelo Russell’s 21 points on 8-for-13 shooting, starting with the first 11 points of the first quarter — is a sure harbinger of what’s to come in Monday’s Game 4 of this Western Conference Semifinal. in Los Angeles or Game 5 on Wednesday in San Francisco or later.

Just as Hamm has been preaching since the Lakers scrambled to make up for their 2-10 start to the season by qualifying for Championship Play, they can control play with energy, effort, and urgency.

The bullets will fall. You will miss the shots. Players’ legs will feel fresh one match and tired the next.

However, as James and Davis said Saturday, the Lakers’ mentality can remain consistent as long as they are disciplined.

“Make no mistake about it, a deficit, winning anything, 30 doesn’t represent who this team really is. Just like losing game two doesn’t represent who we are,” Hamm said. “This will be a fight to the end.”