Can Anthony Davis reignite the Lakers for the 2022-23 season?

The Los Angeles Lakers were clubbed in their preseason debut Monday night, and despite leading 46-41 at half, fell 105-75 to a young Sacramento team.

The same third-quarter woes that frequently plagued the squad last season seeped into its first exhibition contest of 2022-23. L.A. was outscored 35-13 in the third period, and followed that up with a dreadful 29-16 losing effort in the final frame. 

The Lakers’ closing numbers were horrendous: 31.2% shooting from the floor, 23.3 from beyond the arc, 62.% from the charity stripe, and ball-security was an absent attribute all night, as L.A.’s offense coughed up 20 turnovers. 

Things weren’t much better on defense, as the unit gave up a whopping 56 points in the paint, responding with just 26 of its own.

“Undisputed” cohost, and renowned Lakers fan Shannon Sharpe had a tough time watching the affair, claiming that not much had changed from a season ago.

“Everything seems to be a struggle again,” Sharpe said.

“Scoring the basketball — only three fast break points in the first half. Shooting the ball — 32% from the floor, 4-of-17 from three in the first half. Rebounding — allowed eight offensive rebounds in the first half. … They don’t get a whole lot of cheap baskets. They don’t get out in transition. … To make a long story short, I don’t see a 60-win team. I don’t see a team that says the Lakers are dangerous.”

Sharpe’s cohost Skip Bayless argued though, that Sharpe had left out one sterling bright spot.

“You skipped right over the biggest plus of the night, because it was a plus, plus, plus,” Bayless said.

“The Anthony Davis that I saw last night was everything he talked about. … He was a flat-out monster. That was assertive, aggressive, give-me-the-ball-and-get-out-of-my-way Anthony Davis. … He was moving like 2020 AD, he was asserting like 2020 where he was commanding the paint. Maybe there is something to this new sheriff in town Darvin Ham’s system that he brought from Milwaukee. … When he got two feet in the paint, he commanded. … Ham was trying to make him Giannis [Antetokounmpo], and 11 rebounds in 16 minutes, that means that were you cranked.”

Davis finished the night with 11 points and 11 rebounds on 4-for-9 shooting in 11 minutes. He will next take the floor on Wednesday against the Phoenix Suns in the Lakers’ second preseason matchup.