Searching for Consistency

The Los Angeles Lakers have spent much of the season thus far searching for the best version of themselves. There's been highs and lows. Moments of showing what they're capable of. And lingering questions of whether they can sustain it.

A Complete Performance

That pattern showed up again recently. After an ugly road loss to the Sacramento Kings — one defined by missed 3s, an inability to contain DeMar DeRozan in the midrange and the trio of Malik Monk, Russell Westbrook and Zach LaVine making 14 3s — the Lakers delivered one of their most complete games to date.

But the biggest story wasn't the 141-116 final score or the fact that it was their largest win of the season. It was the urgency and focus Los Angeles played with that should serve as the blueprint for the rest of the season.

The Lakers made a season-high 19 3s, led by as many as 32 points and compiled a season-best 36 assists. Luka Dončić and LeBron James, who both entered the night as game-time decisions, combined for 22 of those assists.

"(It was) one of the best responses we had this year," said James, who was a rebound shy of a 31-point triple-double. "To come out with that type of energy and effort on both sides of the floor was good."

Learning from Past Mistakes

The last time these two teams met at State Farm Arena, the effort was so bad that head coach JJ Redick fumed about his team's no-show at the end of a 122-102 blowout. This time, the Lakers did not have those regrets. Redick said the Lakers had a pregame meeting that lasted nearly 10 minutes to get his team in a "good place" to compete.

"That's the challenge with this group," Redick said. "It's just a constant daily reminder of that commitment."

The Consistency Question

So that begs the question: if the Lakers have this kind of performance in them, why can't they do it more consistently? So much of how the Lakers play is driven by their best players. Dončić's flurry of playmaking and drawing fouls in the second quarter ensured L.A. had a double-digit lead for most of the night.

But it also revealed some of the same issues that have plagued Dončić all season long. During a 13-0 Hawks run, Dončić had five turnovers in a six-possession span, adding a technical foul for good measure. He finished the game with seven turnovers, more than the entire Hawks team (six). No player averages more turnovers per game this season than Dončić (4.6).

"We went for the kill shot there to start the third and got the big lead," Redick said. "And I mean, you can just see it, second night of a back-to-back. Atlanta's one of the fastest-paced teams in the league. Kind of ran out of gas, and we were able to resettle ourselves and then ended up with 39 in the fourth quarter."

Challenging Stretch Ahead

The Lakers' next stretch could define their season. They'll have five games in seven days. They'll be at a rest disadvantage against Charlotte, who is coming to visit. Then they'll have to fly to Portland for a weekend back-to-back. On the other side, an eight-game road trip looms. So does the NBA trade deadline.

Players like Jake LaRavia and DeAndre Ayton have embraced a "next-man-up mentality," heading into the tough stretch.

"Everyone here is a pro, everyone knows their role, and has a job to do every time we step out there on the court," LaRavia said. "So kind of just focusing on that and going out and then just doing it."

Ayton, who had 17 points and a season-high 18 rebounds in a recent game, his first game with at least 15 rebounds in nearly two months, acknowledged the Lakers' 82-game schedule leaves little time to linger on mistakes and missed opportunities.

"I like that about the NBA," Ayton said. "You get another opportunity to redeem yourself and just get your swag back a little bit and be on to the next one."

Finding the Standard

Focus. Commitment. Mentality. Swagger. Maybe even some positive daily affirmation. Whatever it is the Lakers can use, they're going to need it. The Lakers will face adversity, but there's no excuses. Now they have shown a standard that shouldn't require humiliating beatdowns to respond to.

"I think there's probably 27 or 28 teams going through something similar right now," Redick said. "This is how the NBA works over 82 games. You know, hopefully we can find that consistency."