The Los Angeles Lakers are back under .500 again, and LeBron James can’t just explain it away this time.
James and the Lakers lost yet again on Wednesday, falling at home to the Miami Heat by double digits (110-96). The defeat for the Lakers came in spite of the Heat missing Jimmy Butler, Caleb Martin, and other key rotation players due to injury.
After the game, James was so disgusted that he did not even stick around to speak with reporters.
LeBron James left without speaking to reporters after the loss.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 4, 2024
Perhaps as an unintended consequence, an old quote from one of the recent times that James actually did address reporters went viral. Following a loss to the New York Knicks on Dec. 18, James wrote off the Lakers’ struggles as an In-Season Tournament hangover of sorts. James noted that the Indiana Pacers, the other IST finalist, had a similarly poor post-tournament record at the time.
Loss to Knicks means Lakers 1-3 since In Season Tournament win
LeBron: "Have you seen Indiana's record since Vegas?
Q: "1-4…There's something to that…?"
LeBron: "Could be" pic.twitter.com/WEbncGb8ZS
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 19, 2023
Since those comments from James though, the Pacers have found their footing again, going 6-2 in their last eight games. That includes an active five-game winning streak with quality victories over playoff teams like the Knicks, Bucks (twice), and Rockets. Meanwhile, the Lakers have continued the plunge into Hades, going 2-6 since James’ Dec. 18 comments (bringing them to a rotten 3-9 overall since the tournament). Needless to say, James’ explanation is no longer very credible.
With the calendar flipping over to January, the 17-18 Lakers find themselves at a major crossroads. Their effort on both ends of the floor stinks right now, and there are even signs emerging that coach Darvin Ham may be losing the locker room. It will be a fascinating next several weeks as the Lakers try to figure out what to do to right the ship ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline.
