Your struggling Los Angeles Lakers are 16-15 and out of championship contention.

Outside of Gabe Vincent’s expected long-term absence after knee surgery, the Lakers don’t have the 11th-seeded Phoenix Suns’ health excuse (although, in a point against Phoenix, if they didn’t think Bradley Beal would get hurt a lot, they clearly didn’t do any research). 

Of course, they’ve tried anyhow.

In the defeat, LA center Anthony Davis scored a season-high 40 points on 15-of-26 shooting, grabbed 13 rebounds, handed out four assists, and blocked one shot.

Postgame, he explained his play to media.

“You always think about shots you could’ve made, defensive plays you could’ve made, rebounds you could’ve had, free throws I could’ve made, things like that, that could’ve changed the game,” said Davis. “I was thinking about how Boston scored a fast break three after I missed a free throw in the third quarter. I just thought, ‘If I Һit the free throw, that doesn’t happen.’”

Davis has averaged 31.7 points, 58% shooting, 11.6 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in LA’s previous seven games. However, LA is 2-5 in those games.