LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers can’t catch a break this 2021/22 NBA season. The Californians have struggled to find their rhythm since the preseason after assembling a team full of offensive talent and experience.
Well, that hasn’t worked out for the Purple and Gold and a recent blowout loss to the San Antonio Spurs once again set the alarms at Crypto.com Arena. The Texans landed in Los Angeles looking for blood, and the Lakers were the perfect victim. San Antonio demolished Los Angeles, getting a 138-110 win on Thursday night.
Fans were fuming at the team following another disappointing performance, with LeBron James giving some sort of explanation to their lack of chemistry. According to The King, the Lakers don’t have chemistry because they haven’t played enough games to develop something good.
This could be a valid explanation, but not everybody bought what LeBron tried to sell. One of those was Kendrick Perkins, who called out the 4x NBA champion for his comments, saying his statement should be different, pointing out that the Lakers are not playing well because the players can’t deliver.
“Here’s the thing about the Lakers. They’re full of excuses. One minute it’s Frank Vogel. Frank Vogel’s been out. Fizdale’s been coaching and they’re still losing. And here is the thing. LeBron, you my dawg, but that interview. That ain’t it. For the simple fact that the whole league is battling this whole situation Covid protocols, injuries or whatever the case may be. When I watched the Atlanta Hawks team off a back-to-back, fresh off a lose against the Magic, going to Philly without their superstar and get a big-time win, I said, ‘you know what? Anybody could do it.’ So when you get beat by 28 by the Spurs, that’s a problem. That don’t have nothing to do with chemistry. Now what LeBron James should have said was, ‘hey man, we got to do a better job at getting back after a made basket because teams are scoring on us. Or, Russell Westbrook gotta do a better job trying to pass the ball ’cause he’s getting turnovers.”
Perkins went off on more players, including Carmelo Anthony and DeAndre Jordan, criticizing them for not doing the job they were signed to do. He elaborated on what he would have liked LeBron to say to his teammates, making it clear that everybody around the league is going through issues to send the same starting lineup every game, so he shouldn’t be complaining about chemistry.
The Big Perk wasn’t happy with his friend’s words. He wants James to directly call out the people underperforming and not make any more excuses for a team that already has plenty. It’s time to wake up for the Lakers if they aspire to make the playoffs and the championship.
