The promising season that the Lakers were having rapidly went off the rails. The Los Angeles Lakers have been unsuccessful in ten of their last thirteen matches since they won the NBA In-Season Tournament. The players in the Lakers’ locker room found themselves increasingly frustrated as the team continued to suffer defeat after defeat.
After a loss against the Memphis Grizzlies by a score of 113-127 at home, the Los Angeles Lakers’ losing skid has now reached four games. Following the conclusion of the game, LeBron James voiced his dissatisfaction, minimized the impact of his performance in the NBA In-Season Tournament, and evaluated the current standing of the team.
“That championship is just a small part,” James stated in reference to the Lakers’ victory in the NBA In-Season Tournament. Everyone is gushing over the victory in Vegas, and they keep bringing it up in conversation. At most, there were two games. The problem is that we went on to win the NBA In-Season Tournament, but in reality, we only won two matches,” James stated.
After destroying the New Orleans Pelicans by a score of 44 points in the semi-finals, the Los Angeles Lakers went on to win the In-Season Tournament by defeating the Indiana Pacers by a score of 123-109 in the championship game. This became the first team to ever win the tournament.
Despite this, they have been continuously decreasing ever since then. Ever since the event in Las Vegas, the Lakers have only managed to compile a record of 3-10. Both the Pelicans (9-4) and the Pacers (8-6) are currently riding high with five straight victories, despite the fact that they have both been vanquished as champions.
When asked about the current situation of the Lakers, James is quoted as saying, “We’re in a bad place right now.” The King declined to comment on whether the current issues have been present since the beginning of the season or whether they have only lately surfaced after the season has begun.
One of the most noticeable changes that has occurred since the Lakers won the tournament on December 9 is a degradation in their defensive performance. Over the course of the team’s current stretch of thirteen games, they have scored 118.7 points per 100 possessions and have a defense rating that is among the top ten for that time period.
Comparing the numbers of the Lakers players before and after they won the In-Season Tournament championship will give you an idea of how much they have improved. On offensively, the Lakers have never been a particularly formidable team; nevertheless, on defense, they have consistently been a dominant force. as a means of achieving favorable outcomes. Consequently, when the defense is no longer certain, failures come to them as something that is going to happen. Despite the fact that the Lakers are struggling due to a number of ailments, this is not the primary reason for their struggles.
As the level of resentment continues to rise, it has also been stated that head coach Darvin Ham is in danger of being fired after the team’s changing room was taken away from them.
It’s possible that the most significant indication yet that a significant shift is taking place in Los Angeles is James’ most recent evaluation of the Lakers. If they are serious about making things better, this is the perfect opportunity for them to take action.