Mike D’Antoni: “If Fans Are Discouraged, Find Another Team”

Following two straight blowout road losses, head coach Mike D’Antoni was visibly frustrated and defended his players. With the Lakers losing four players to injury including Kobe Bryant for at least six weeks, the media mentioned that Lakers fans may be getting discouraged and asked D’Antoni if he was personally discouraged. With the Lakers coaching staff and players still fighting despite being undermanned, D’Antoni said fans should find another team to root for if they’re feeling discouraged:

When D’Antoni is frustrated, he is prone to say things that people can use against him. However, he was simply defending his players’ effort on the court and trying to instill confidence into his players. With the Lakers losing four of their best players for an extended period of time, the current players are fighting. However, they simply don’t have the playmakers or enough bodies to keep up with teams for the full 48 minutes. Although the Lakers have lost two straight games and are two games below the .500 mark, the players are confident that they can eventually turn it around. With Jordan Farmar testing his hamstring, the point guard may possibly return on Christmas day against the Miami Heat and provide a much needed lift. ———————————————————————-
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