It was an intense scene in Target Center on Saturday, as the Los Angeles Lakers tried to pick up their second-straight win. The Lakers already had their hands dealing with the best team in the West this season but things didn’t get any easier down the stretch with the game on the line. Towards the end, things reached their climax as LeBron rose for a three that was later waved off (after long review) and counted for just two points. It would have tied the game with seconds to play, but the Lakers walked off with a loss instead and the fans are still fuming.
holy shit. LeBron’s foot on the line. pic.twitter.com/kQRmXNYRTB
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) December 31, 2023
It was clearly a very close call and even the officials needed significant time to draw a conclusion. And while they determined that LeBron’s foot was on the line for that play, even James had his doubts about the call and people are making their feelings known online.
THAT'S A 3 POINTER GFYS REFS pic.twitter.com/aoIamxr4zb
— Barry (@BarryOnHere) December 31, 2023
So many people disagreed with the call that the phrase “that’s a three” was among the top trends on X throughout the night.
They really did LeBron wrong on his birthday. That’s a 3 pointer 🤦🏽♂️ pic.twitter.com/UsPS0wy4Bi
— The Hood Therapist (@OhhMar24) December 31, 2023
James turned 39 today, and a game-tying three would have certainly made things more interesting for his big day. Sadly, the only thing he;ll get from this game is a loss and more questions about the roster.
LeBron really just got robbed on his birthday pic.twitter.com/hpBVJXz3oQ
— ✧.* (@HoodiiBron) December 31, 2023
This loss is a stinger for the Lake Show, but they don’t have time to lick their wounds. With a game against the Pelicans tomorrow, the team has to shift their focus and keep their composure to avoid another losing streak.
The Lakers Are In Trouble
The Lakers started off well enough this season. LeBron James was looking fresh, Anthony Davis was healthy, and most of the role-players (D’Angelo Russell, Taurean Prince, Austin Reaves) were hitting their shots. But after about a month into the season, the supporting cast saw a major drop-off in performance and it’s left LeBron and Davis with nobody to trust on the floor.
In the locker room, there are growing questions about Darvin Ham’s rotations, specifically his refusal to move off of the Cam Reddish-Jarred Vanderbilt lineups. There’s also his relationship with Austin Reaves, which is reported to be problematic this season. With all of these things going at once, the Lakers are struggling to keep themselves above water and if they aren’t careful, it could wear their stars into the ground.
Another Masterpiece For James
Despite all of the chaos around him, LeBron James is more than pulling his weight this season. He’s up to 25.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists so far and he’s been far-and-away the team’s best and most consistent player. Tonight was just the latest masterpiece from him with a statline of 26 points and 6 assists on the night, including the clutch late-game jumper that nearly tied the game.
Somehow, this type of play has been the norm for James and it is anyone’s guess when he’ll finally slow down. But if the Lakers don’t find a way to get this guy some more help soon, it won’t even matter what he does because it won’t be enough to get them anywhere in the West. If this latest loss proved anything, it’s that the Lakers are still a level or two below the ultra-elite teams and LeBron seems more aware of this than anyone.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
