All I can say is that we should have expected this by now. After a promising win against the Houston Rockets after the NBA All-Star break, a victory that seemed to indicate the Los Angeles Lakers were ready to begin their chase for the playoffs in earnest, the Lakers did what they always do this season and had a letdown against a below-average opponent.
That the opponent was the New Orleans Pelicans — or that they were on the second night of a back-to-back without Anthony Davis — didn’t matter.