The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a devastating 138-94 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night, marking their worst defeat of the 2023-24 season. Despite having LeBron James and Anthony Davis healthy and available, the Lakers couldn’t find success on the court. Davis, in particular, has been struggling, especially on offense.

Tom Haberstroh of Meadowlark Media highlighted Davis’ poor shooting performance from 16 feet and beyond. Against the Sixers, Davis went 0-2 from that range, and overall this season, he has shot a dismal 6-31 (19.4 percent) from that distance. This level of shooting is far from ideal for a Lakers team that relies on Davis to provide elite production in their pursuit of a championship.

Furthermore, Davis has been particularly ineffective from the deep midrange, shooting just 3-21 (14.3 percent) from 16 to 24 feet according to NBA.com. This is a significant departure from the dominant version of Davis seen during the Lakers’ 2020 NBA Bubble championship run. Lakers fans are frustrated by his inconsistency this season.

There is hope for positive regression in Davis’ shooting, as last season he shot 32.3 percent from 16 feet and beyond. It’s possible that he could improve by around 12 percentage points before the season concludes. However, facing formidable defenders like Joel Embiid, as he did against the Sixers, adds to the challenge.

The Lakers will look to bounce back when they face the struggling Detroit Pistons, who currently hold the worst record in the NBA, on Wednesday night. This game provides an opportunity for Davis to regain his shooting touch and contribute to a much-needed victory for the Lakers.