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AD: Lakers 'not winning a championship the way we're playing'

Adam Pantozzi / National Basketball Association / Getty

Following a 24-point beatdown at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Anthony Davis says his team still isn't close to resembling a title contender.

"We got to decide who we want to be. A championship team? That's not us right now," Davis said postgame, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "We're not winning a championship the way we're playing. We got to be better, and we got to care more for our wins at home. Wins in general. That was embarrassing."

Third-quarter struggles continued to plague Los Angeles as it surrendered a 40-12 run to Minnesota during the period. The Lakers have now been outscored in eight of 13 third quarters so far this season, and their minus-83 point third-quarter differential is the worst in the NBA, McMenamin notes.

"We sucked. No defense. Can't score," Davis, 28, said of his team's effort coming out of halftime. "That's not just this third quarter - it's every third quarter we've played this season. We come out slow, lackadaisical offensively and defensively. We got to get it together."

Russell Westbrook, who celebrated his 33rd birthday Friday, acknowledged the team's inconsistency in third quarters has been "a problem," according to McMenamin.

Friday's loss dropped the Lakers to 7-6. L.A. has been without LeBron James for the past five games because of an abdominal injury but could get the 36-year-old back in the lineup soon. Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said pregame that James is considered day-to-day, according to Spectrum SportsNet's Mike Trudell.

Los Angeles next faces the San Antonio Spurs in a Sunday matinee at Staples Center.

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