The Los Angeles Lakers were defeated 126-115 by the Boston Celtics Monday. It was another tough loss for LA, which now holds a 16-15 record in 2023-24. Lakers guard Austin Reaves is still confident in the team, but understands they need to get back on track.

“I think we can beat any team that steps on the floor,” Reaves said, per Edwin Garcia of SB Nation. “We just gotta tighten things up.”

The Lakers played a competitive brand of basketball versus Boston, but still fell short. Anthony Davis did all he could in the defeat, scoring 40 points while recording 13 rebounds. In the end, Los Angeles just did not have an answer for Boston's offensive attack.

This Lakers squad is more than capable of reaching the playoffs. However, Los Angeles is still looking to improve in key areas. They still must address a number of concerns in order to become a true championship contender.

Lakers moving forward

The Lakers have dropped five of their last six games overall. It's been an underwhelming stretch of contests since Los Angeles took home the NBA In-Season Tournament championship.

Los Angeles should still be able to turn things around before too long. Yes, their roster has question marks, but they feature enough talent to compete at a respectable level.

The Lakers will get a few days off before taking on the Charlotte Hornets Thursday in their next game. They will then battle the Minnesota Timberwolves in a Saturday clash.

The potential is there for the Lakers, but can they find their footing soon?