The Los Angeles Lakers were starting to build some momentum by midway through March of the 2022-23 season. They had won eight of their first 11 games following the day of the trade deadline, but they were coming off a disappointing 112-108 loss to the New York Knicks that dampened that momentum.
Anthony Davis had combined for just 25 points in the last two games, and there was the usual muttering about him supposedly being lazy and lacking the motivation to play up to his potential.
