After perhaps the most frustrating loss of the season, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James (39) sent a message to his team in the post-game locker room. As the Lakers continue to struggle, LeBron urged resilience for his group and pushed them not to let the loss weigh on their minds.
Reporter: “What stood out to you tonight?”
LeBron James: “They made a couple more plays than we made.”
Reporter: “How did you feel about the response from when you were playing in Miami?”
LeBron James: “We were just playing how you’re supposed to play.”
Reporter: “Is this the standard in terms of effort that needs to be there for you guys daily?
LeBron James: “I don’t know…”
Reporter: “You’re 39 almost 40, do you think the fans are appreciating what you can still do?”
LeBron James: “I just go out there and play the game the right way and compete at a high level. My time is very limited for how long I’ll play, so I’m just glad I get to play the game that I love.”
Reporter: “What’s it gonna take for this team to get over the hump? Where are you not seeing enough coming from?
LeBron James: “We have about five guys in our top 11 who are not in uniform. We’re mismatching lineups… it’s very challenging. We don’t have much room for error, I said that at the beginning of the season. We got AR [Austin Reaves] out, Vando [Jarred Vanderbilt] out, C-Wood [Christian Wood] has not played this year, or Jaxson [Hayes]. I don’t know as far as what will get us over the hump but we just have to not drown. Don’t drown and we’ll be alright.”
What James (a 4x NBA champion) is asking for may not be so easy for the Lakers this season. After a miserable 2023-24 campaign, they hired JJ Redick to fix their problems and maximize their star-studded roster with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. After a hot start, everything was looking good for the Purple and Gold but they’ve since fallen on hard times which has sent them back down to 10th in the Western Conference.
Coming into tonight, the Lakers were embarrassed in back-to-back games and desperately needed a win to get back on track. Sadly, the struggles continued against the Atlanta Hawks, and bad mistakes down the stretch prevented them from getting a win and ending the streak. Not even a triple-double from the King (39 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists) could change the outcome of the game.
Simply put, the Lakers are in a bad way right now and reality is quickly setting in for them after a scorching hot start. With morale noticeably low for the Lakers, it’s easy for them to get lost in their emotions and let their misery become a distraction.
As a 21-year veteran who has been in all types of situations, LeBron knows how important it is for the Lakers to stay together and keep their belief in each other, their coach, and their chances to make a run under the right conditions.
Of course, the first step to victory is having the core players healthy and ready to contribute. With so many Lakers in and out of the lineup right now, it’s made it that much harder for them to gain any traction in turning the season around. However, as long as LeBron is active and in uniform, the Lakers will always have a chance to make some noise when the stakes are highest.
After their latest loss, the Lakers will have a night off before facing the Portland Trail Blazers, at home at Cryto.com arena, at 9:30 PM EST. On December 13th, the Lakers face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Target Center for a game at 8:00 PM EST before a match against the Memphis Grizzlies, at home, at 9:30 PM EST two days later.
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