A gross loss to the Miami Heat has dropped the Lakers below .500, sitting at 2-8 in their last 10 games.
After the game, a struggling LeBron James (6-18 from the field, 0-6 from 3-point range), made an uncharacteristic decision.
It’s hard to blame James, as he’s clearly checked out and/or dejected after such a rough patch for Lakers basketball.
While he struggled today, he and Anthony Davis have been great in spite of their struggles, putting much of the blame on the remainder of the roster as well as head coach Darvin Ham.
James has had 6 games of 25+ points in their past 8 losses, struggling only on Christmas against the Celtics, prior to last night against the Heat. Anthony Davis has put up even better numbers on better efficiency while adding all-world defense, highlighting the question of what excuse the Lakers truly have for their woeful performance since the In-Season Tournament.
To me, the Lakers are out of excuses. This roster is far healthier than any LeBron/AD team has ever been, with just 5 of LA’s 35 games this season featuring one of them being absent.
There’s next to no clear explanation outside of poor coaching from Darvin Ham paired with inconsistent/insufficient performances from the likes of Austin Reaves, Cam Reddish, Taurean Prince, and the rest of the “supporting cast.”
D’Angelo Russell, who has missed the past couple of games with a bruised tailbone, is a candidate to return soon and potentially add a bit of an offensive spark for the Lakers, but the team hasn’t been much better even with him, as his poor defense and streaky shooting can often trade-off with his occasionally big performances.