.jpg?itok=KBG8Ff7g&ssl=1 "LeBron James’ frustrations with Lakers seem to outpace Westbrook-Schroder feud")
Los Angeles Lakers was on the verge of another comeback. After stunning the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, they had trimmed a 23-point halftime deficit to just 10 points midway through the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s game against LA Clippers.
Lebron James was on fire The Crypto.com Arena crowd could feel the momentum shifting. And then… there was a turnover.
With a chance to cut the Clippers’ lead to single digits, Russell Westbrook threw a bad pass to Dennis Schroder. After Clippers forward Paul George deflected the pass, Schroder got the ball but threw it straight to Kawhi Leonard, who took advantage of the fast break and stopped the Lakers’ comeback.
PG and Kawhi put the clamps on 🔒🔥 pic.twitter.com/ltgCE7njs2
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) January 25, 2023
That sparked an 8-0 run for the Clippers, ending the game. Lakers coach Darwin Hamm waved the white flag in the ensuing timeout, and James’ fury was palpable.
As Westbrook and Schroder had a lively discussion about what had gone wrong, James could be seen sitting on the bench and staring at the ground.
—Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) January 25, 2023
With 46 points in a 133-115 loss, James became the first player in NBA history to score 40 or more points in a game against every team in the league. But the four-time MVP has made it clear he’s not interested in putting up big numbers for a bad or mediocre team.
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During his postgame media attention, James answered questions in a snappy manner, but there was one in particular that stood out. Here’s what happened when James was asked about GM Rob Pelinka’s comments about the Lakers’ late-market strategy.
Journalist: LeBron, Rob was talking before the game about the trade market, saying, “If there’s an opportunity to go all the way to the finals and win a championship, we’re not going to be able to hang on if we have the ability But, at the same time, the it would be a completely reckless thing to drop a bullet earlier and not have it later. What do you think of this analysis and this philosophy for the market?
LeBron: How about? He told you, he was talking to you. He wasn’t talking to us. Rob will do his job. This is your job. My job is to be on the field and make sure my teammates in the locker room are ready.
.@KingJames talks about it #Lakers loss, Rui, and more. pic.twitter.com/i6bIqvVamv
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 25, 2023
James’ responses and general demeanor weren’t the product of a loss to the LA Clippers or a defining turnover.
After the Lakers finished with a 33-49 record and missed the playoffs in 2021-22, James doesn’t want to go down that road again. His team is still struggling, but the Lakers are four games under 50% winning percentage more than halfway through the 2022-2023 season.
He didn’t have to say anything about the transfer market as his game was quite strong. He’s now averaging 30.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game and has single-handedly scored more points than the rest of the Lakers’ starters in two of his last four games. I shouldn’t wear Like Chris Morris and write on his shoes “pass the options, please” so that Pelinka gets the message.
There is some hope on the horizon. The Lakers just acquired Rui Hachimura in a trade with the Wizards, and Anthony Davis is ready to return. It might be enough to help the Lakers make the playoffs.
Los Angeles likely needs more, though, and that means another move could — or, in James’ eyes, should — happen. Otherwise, the immediate future may be filled with already familiar scenes: James talks about a new individual record after a loss.
“In recent years, since we won the championship, many records have come from defeats”James said. “It was very difficult to digest some of my achievements because I’m not one to celebrate defeat.”
The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.
