The Los Angeles Lakers have recently had their 4-game winning streak snapped by the Memphis Grizzlies, with the game finishing 127-119. There’s no doubt that this was disappointing for the Lakers, as they likely hoped that they’d be able to win this game and continue the winning run.
LeBron James was the only Los Angeles Lakers player in the starting lineup to reach double digits in points, leading all scorers with 35. Russell Westbrook had a poor night, scoring 6 points on 2-12 shooting. Though the bench made a late comeback, there is no doubt that most of the other players on the Lakers simply failed to meet the challenge in a game that should have been more competitive.
A lot of fans roasted the Lakers due to the result. The Lakers were trailing for most of the game, and it never looked particularly close. Even without the presence of Anthony Davis, a team with LeBron James and Russell Westbrook should have been able to put up a fight against a Conference opponent.
Back to the road. pic.twitter.com/3rau6Aa1o7
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 10, 2022
There is no doubt that something about the Lakers’ current approach has to change. They have faltered against top-tier opponents, and even their recent winning streak came against teams in the middle of the pack, rather than the best teams in the league.
We all know that sometimes it takes stars a while to learn how to play together, and perhaps that could be the case here. However, we are currently around the halfway mark of the season, and the Los Angeles Lakers are still nowhere close to being a top-tier team. They were viewed as one of the best teams by many analysts going into the season, but they have not looked like it thus far.
Hopefully, we see the Los Angeles Lakers figure it out. LeBron James is still playing like an MVP, and there’s no question that he can still be an offensive engine and the focus point of a contending team.
