LeBron James explains LA Lakers’ mindset after frustrating loss - “That’s the worst business you can be”
LeBron James and the LA Lakers lost another close game, this time to the Portland Trail Blazers. Unlike the previous two games where they played catch-up, the Lakers blew this one late in the game. They now have a 0-3 record this season.
“King James” was visibly frustrated throughout the postgame interview after the loss.
(Starts at the 4:17 mark)
“If you’re around a group of guys that are excited after a loss, then that’s the worst business you can be. I’ll leave my frustration and what I have here. Once I drive out the tunnel, I’m leaving it here and that’s it.
"I gotta move on to tomorrow, how I can get better tomorrow, get ready for this tough road trip that we got coming up in Minnesota and starting in Denver.”
"We can't shoot a pin in the ocean, but that hasn't stopped us from competing or defending. That's given us a chance in all three games to win." - LeBron James shares his thoughts after a tough loss to the Blazers. https://t.co/NKPiLiKLzv
Behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the LA Lakers had a 98-90 lead with 4:19 left in the fourth quarter. The Portland Trail Blazers refused to give up and made it a close one with Damian Lillard and Jerami Grant leading them.
Back-to-back baskets by LeBron James and AD pushed the lead back up to seven with a little under two minutes left in the game. From there, the Blazers rattled off nine straight points to grab the lead and sway momentum to their side.
Jerami Grant and LeBron James exchanged baskets as Portland retained a two-point cushion before the latter missed a game-tying turn-around jumper.
The Lakers are now 0-3.
LeBron missed the game-tying shot to send the game into OT. https://t.co/md2p36WCIF
The LA Lakers looked like they had all the momentum on their side and were playing their best until the four-minute mark of the game. Head coach Darvin Ham made the crucial decision to send Russell Westbrook back in after sidelining him for close to 11 minutes.
From a slightly more comfortable breathing room, the game was nip-and-tuck until the final buzzer sounded. During a two-minute stretch where the Lakers had a seven point lead, Westbrook missed two crucial baskets.
The Lakers were holding a one-point lead when Russell Westbrook attempted a jumper with 18 seconds left on their shot clock. Following the missed shot, the Blazers now had close to half a minute of game time and ball possession.
“King James” walked away in frustration as the Blazers celebrated their win on the road.
LeBron James and the LA Lakers’ 3-point shooting nightmare continues
After two straight losses where they were horrible from beyond the arc, Laker Nation was hoping for a decent outing against the Portland Trail Blazers. All those hopes were dashed as they started the game with yet another 1-10 clip from rainbow distance.
Against the Blazers, the LA Lakers missed 27 of 33 attempts from 3-point land, their worst yet of the season. They are now the worst three-point shooting team in the NBA by a mile. For the season, they are only 25-118 from long range.
The Lakers continue to struggle from deep this season. https://t.co/qby4S9YRQq
The LA Lakers’ next eight games are going to be brutal. They will face the Denver Nuggets twice, the Utah Jazz twice, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, Cleveland Cavaliers and LA Clippers. If they can’t fix their anomalous three-point shooting, they could lose all of these games.
Darvin Ham has made the Lakers into a formidable defensive unit. On most nights, they should keep games close and will have opportunities to win games. But if they can’t shoot a penny in the ocean, they will always be at a disadvantage against most NBA teams.