"All you care about now is scoring achievements" - Skip Bayless berates LeBron James after LA Lakers' loss, blames him for Porzingis' big night
Fox Sports analyst Skip Bayless lambasted LeBron James for the LA Lakers' fourth-quarter meltdown in their 119-127 loss to the Washington Wizards on Saturday. Bayless took to Twitter to call out the 'King,' saying he only worries about his scoring achievements instead of the team's success.
James (36,947) surpassed Karl Malone (36,928) to go second all time on the NBA's scorers' list. However, the Lakers squandered a 16-point advantage against the Wizards, getting outscored 20-36 in the fourth quarter. Kristaps Porzingis went off for 16 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter, with James playing at the five.
Here's what Bayless, a veteran broadcaster, tweeted regarding the same:
"Good Lord, LeBron, act like you're upset that you just blew a game to the Wizards. Nope. All you care about now is scoring achievements. You certainly wanted no part of defending Porzingis, which was your responsibility in the 4th quarter."
LeBron becomes the No. 2 all-time scorer in NBA history 👑
Only one player remains ahead of @KingJames https://t.co/tQzFzKLcVs
James had a great night offensively, tallying 38 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, shooting 16 of 29 from the floor, including four of ten from the three-point range. However, his efforts were not enough on the night.
LeBron James' LA Lakers' struggles continue
On Jan 7, the LA Lakers beat the Atlanta Hawks to extend their winning streak to three outings.
Since then, LeBron James and Co. haven't registered back-to-back wins. They were on course to do that against the Wizards. However, Porzingis' fourth-quarter heroics ensured the Purple and Gold fell short at the Captial One Arena.
The Lakers are now back to 11 games below the.500 mark, having lost half of their 82 games this season already. They have the second-toughest schedule remaining among all 30 teams. To exacerbate matters, LA could be without their star center Anthony Davis for the rest of the regular season.
LeBron James has played at a stellar level, but he continues to be the lone bright spot for the team. Nevertheless, Russell Westbrook seems to have found his rhythm in the last two games. He scored 22 points apiece in his last two outings, shooting the ball at an efficient rate from the three-point range (six of 10).
: @SpectrumSN)Russ cut, LeBron vision.
(📺: @SpectrumSN) https://t.co/tczz3KW6lv
Westbrook also hit a game-tying three to send the LA Lakers-Toronto Raptors game into overtime. It's time for the Lakers' role players and coaching staff to get their combinations right as they prepare for their final 11 games of the regular season.