The Los Angeles Lakers have lost four consecutive games since winning the NBA In-Season Tournament and are 3-10 since. That has put immense pressure on second-year coach Darvin Ham.
LeBron James was clear in his assessment after Friday’s 127-113 loss to Memphis Grizzlies: “We just suck right now.” This phrase referenced their team’s inability to find shooters.
Losing 10 of their last 13 games
LeBron James addressed the reality of Los Angeles Lakers play after their 127-113 defeat to Memphis Grizzlies Friday night: “We just stink right now.”
The Lakers entered the fourth quarter trailing by only one point but were outscored 33-19 to halt any momentum gained since winning the NBA In-Season Tournament on Dec. 9.
Darvin Ham was asked by reporters early today about reports of dissension between himself and his players, while insisting they remain “align[d]” with owner Jeanie Buss and Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.
But Ham also expressed displeasure with external scrutiny of his team, something which will not go down well among Los Angeles fanatics. I was reminded of something Hal Steinbrenner might have said years earlier – something which caused great discomfort among Yankees supporters at that time – while Ham’s comments only increased pressure for change to take effect quickly.
The roster isn’t working
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James acknowledged after their loss against Milwaukee Bucks that something must change within their roster based on how it has been playing right now: “This roster simply isn’t good enough,” he stated afterward.
The team ranks 23rd on offense and once had one of the league’s premier defenses; now it sits 12th. Veteran winger Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was brought on board to improve both fronts, but has had limited impact.
And the Lakers haven’t fared too well against top opponents: 7-13 overall against top-five teams and four consecutive defeats at the hands of Boston. Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has taken note, wanting to see what his players can accomplish when given full seasons together – which may require either adding players to the roster or restructuring it completely; we will soon know!
The Lakers have a long way to go
On Friday night, the Lakers fell to Memphis Grizzlies 127-113 for their 10th consecutive loss in 13 matches and now find themselves 17-18 and 7.5 games out from playoff contention, without any chance to qualify through their league’s new play-in tournament.
At the conclusion of their game on Saturday, LeBron James and his teammates displayed signs of frustration – something to be expected given all they’re going through, from road trips to injuries/availability issues among players.
The Lakers can take an important step toward getting back on track against the Denver Nuggets at home on Tuesday with a victory against head coach John Ham’s current lineup – Davis, LeBron James, Reaves, Taurean Prince and Cam Reddish starting – on home court. While they possess talent enough to do it, for them to avoid play-in tournament qualification they must become much sharper; to achieve that end Ham must find an alternate starting five to those currently used which includes Davis, James Reaves Taurean Prince and Cam Reddish as starters if that goal is achieved.
They’re going to have to do something
The Los Angeles Lakers are currently on a four-game losing streak and only have one victory against a team with a winning record this season, falling victim to Denver Nuggets on Monday and Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, both teams boasting impressive shooting – Marcus Smart made eight 3-pointers while Jaren Jackson Jr made five.
As it stands now, it remains uncertain whether the Lakers can make a playoff run with this roster even if it all comes together over the coming weeks and capitalizes on its in-season tournament championship victory. Such an endeavor would require taking a leap of faith that Russell’s revival is real and that Reaves, Reddish and others can step up during crucial moments while LeBron James continues his dominant play at key moments of games.
But the Lakers cannot remain complacent; that means implementing some kind of shakeup ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline for their franchise’s sake.
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