In one of the wackiest games of the 2022-23 NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers (10-15) lost to the Philadelphia 76ers (13-12), 133-122, on Friday at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Lakers erased multiple double-digit deficits — including by 18 in the fourth quarter and 9 with 29 seconds left in regulation — thanks to a litany of self-inflicted wounds from Doc Rivers's squad.

Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves missed potential game-winning free throws, and the 76ers dominated the overtime period, 13-2. It was all very weird, frankly.

Russell Westbrook meanwhile, posted 12 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, 4-of-14 shooting, 4 steals and 4 turnovers, making him the second player in Lakers history (Magic Johnson, 1996) to mess around and get a triple-double off the bench.

The Lakers have lost three games in a row. Let's posit a few takeaways from the penultimate stop of their six-game East Coast swing.

LeBron James struggled

LeBron returned to the Lakers' lineup after missing Wednesday's matchup vs. the Toronto Raptors with left ankle soreness. In Philly, LeBron had one of his worst games of the season outside of a few moments of physical might — including a giant slam through the lane, some aggressive cuts to the rim, and a stretch of the third quarter when he admirably guarded Joel Embiid.

LeBron just seemed off. He did the bad body language thing a lot. He committed three straight turnovers during a key stretch in the fourth. He shot 9-of-22 and 1-0f-8 from downtown. He missed a layup in overtime. He had 6 assists against 3 turnovers and was a -10 in 41 minutes.

On the plus side, the Lakers were able to largely overcome LeBron's mediocrity.

Austin Reaves, chef

Reaves — who didn't look like himself the past two games — bounced back in a big way. He was cooking.

He ignited the Lakers' 24-5 second-quarter run with a stream of highlights: a steal/scoop/and-1. A trey off of a sweet Russ kick-out. Another athletic transition layup. He even took Embiid baseline and drew his 9th charge of the season (4th in the NBA). He finished with 25 points (9-of-15 FG, 4-0f-9 from 3), including a triple with 11 seconds to go to put the Lakers within 2. On the ensuing possession, he cleverly drew a foul on Matisse Thybulle on a three-point attempt but missed the third free throw.

“If we could script it and have that opportunity …. you would throw both of us at the line again in a heartbeat,” Reaves said on the free throw. It sucks to miss. I’m sure my mom will be frustrated at me for missing a free throw.”

Free throw aside, his game was eye-popping.

Reaves said that while “it's never nice to lose,” the way the Lakers “locked in” and “executed” during their miraculous fourth-quarter comeback can be a template for how to “approach every second of the game” moving forward.

As a rookie, Reaves was always useful. He led the Lakers in plus/minus and showcased a sophisticated feel for the game. This season, his bag has deepened and his swagger is heightened. He's eagerly relocating for the ball, ready to fire. He's seeking 1-on-1 opportunities to attack the cup. He continues to exhibit complicated post-footwork and passing.

(The Sixers also had a role player step up. L.A.-native/Clippers fan De'Anthony Melton torched Los Angeles for a career-high 30 points. He became the second player ever to make 8 threes and get 7 steals in a game. The Lakers were plagued by 19 turnovers, though Philly let them off the hook by coughing it up 21 times.)

Anthony Davis vs. Joel Embiid

The last time we had the pleasure of watching Embiid and AD go mano a man0 (Jan. 27), the Lakers (without LeBron) were unable to hang with the 76ers but Davis (31 points, 14-of-21 FG, 12 rebounds, 2 steals, 4 blocks) indisputably outplayed Embiid (26 points, 9-of-20 FG, 9 rebounds, 7 assists). By contrast, Friday's nationally-televised matchup was not defined by their head-to-head battle.

Davis picked up two fouls within four minutes. Ham left him in, only for Davis to pick up an avoidable foul four minutes later. The 76ers instantly embarked on a 16-0 run, while Embiid started 6-of-6 and scored 13 of his team's first 15 points. After the first quarter, Embiid had as many points (20) as the Lakers. Knowing he couldn't afford an extensive stint with AD sidelined, Ham reinserted Davis with 10:50 to go in the second. The Lakers went on a 26-7 run.

Davis picked up his fourth foul with 9 minutes left in the third, which forced him out for five minutes (this is where LeBron banging with Embiid came up big). Once the game caught up to his foul trouble, Davis found a groove. He scored 14 straight points in the fourth as the Lakers chipped away, though one couldn't help but wonder what the scoreboard would have read if not for Davis' foul trouble. Like Reaves, he missed a freebie in the final seconds.

“I watched the tape, trying to see what I did wrong,” AD recalled. “Obviously I left it short, but everything else is the exact same — the follow through. … I put a lot of pressure on myself to make free throws, especially in that situation.”

Davis finished with 31 points (9-of-13 FG), 12 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. Embiid posted 38 points (14-of-19 FG), 12 rebounds, and 5 assists.

We did get this epic near-miss between the centers:

https://twitter.com/nbadaves/status/1601408059548569602

 

 

A legit moral victory

The Lakers won't say this, but they can legitimately classify Friday's result as a moral victory, for as much as the 76ers' repeatedly shot themselves in the foot.

Reaves, Westbrook, and Lonnie Walker IV (15 points) continue to positively contribute. The Lakers shot well from 3. More importantly, their resilience amidst LeBron's struggles and AD's foul trouble underscores the difference in character between this season's team and last season's.

The Lakers played far from their best game yet created enough chaos and fought hard enough to almost steal a road win from an aspiring contender.

“I told the team, as disappointed as I am that we didn't get the win, I still can have a good meal and sleep like a baby tonight because of the way we competed,” said Ham. “We did not quit. We did not give up … We could've just folded our tent. But we kept scratching away, kept digging deep.”

Next up: The Lakers can finish their road trip 3-3 with a win over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.