Thomas Bryant Says Vibe Surrounding Lakers Right Now Is ‘Very Solid’
Aside from superstar LeBron James, arguably no one on the Los Angeles Lakers has stepped up more since Anthony Davis’ injury than Thomas Bryant.
In 12 games with Davis out — including when he was first hurt against the Denver Nuggets — Bryant is averaging 16.3 points and 9.9 rebounds on 66.1 percent from the field and 55.0 percent from three. Even more importantly, the Lakers are 7-5 in that stretch.
Bryant discussed how his success has correlated with the team success the Lakers have had in recent weeks. “Yes, it’s working for me. I am happy that my teammates push me in key points. And again, I just try to get back as much as I can out there helping on the defensive end and on the offensive end.”
And with Davis out, Bryant praised the Lakers for how they’ve communicated as a team. “Vizma is very solid. We have a lot of constructive criticism of each other out there, but we never take it to heart and we all know at the end of the day that we’re all in this together.
“Nobody’s going to feel sorry for us, nobody’s going to feel happy for us most of the time, so we’re going to have to have that inside right there. So I think this is a big turning point for us.”
Being able to weather the storm without Davis, the Lakers are certainly going against expectations, and that has helped build the team’s confidence according to Bryant.
“Absolutely. The confidence is there with every last one of the guys out there on the floor. “Everybody knows their job and they know what they have to do when we’re out there,” Bryant said. “You communicate and you talk and you share the ball, I feel like that’s a big part of what we’re doing right now.”
Bryant’s mix of growing personally while still focusing on team success shows the kind of growth the Lakers have had all season. It might help explain how the team has gone 16-11 in its last 27 games after starting the season 2-10.
Teams that play for each other with strong chemistry can — in small doses — bridge gaps in talent, fit or depth. Bryant replacing Davis by returning to the legitimate starting center he was in Washington is potentially a great sign for the coming weeks in LA.
LeBron James credits offensive philosophy for recent success
James also pointed to the Lakers’ recent success after the team’s fourth straight win Friday night. He said the team’s philosophy of ‘playing basketball right away’ and being unselfish with the ball has returned to the season.
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