"We have no chemistry with any lineup" - LeBron James bemoans lack of fixed starters in the current LA Lakers rotation
Like many others, LeBron James also has questions about the LA Lakers' team chemistry at the moment. The 36-year-old was left upset after the Purple and Gold succumbed to another defeat at the hands of a young San Antonio Spurs team. LeBron James put in a herculean effort, but it wasn't enough to prevent a 28-point blowout loss.
In his post-game press conference, the four-time NBA champion mentioned that the team as a whole are yet to log enough minutes together. With five of their players out, the Lakers have struggled with their rotation, forcing James to play extended minutes Speaking about the team chemistry and other factors leading to the Lakers' recent run of losses, James said:
"It's not like we have multiple guys that were out. We were trying to figure out the best way for us to try and win, how do we win and what's the best lineups to be on the floor, you know let's log these minutes we can get better and better. We literally haven't had an opportunity to log in, anything...
Lebron also hinted that the Lakers have no chemistry with any lineup they have used this season. In fact, Los Angeles has played 33 games so far and Russell Westbrook is the only player that has featured in all of them.
We have no chemistry with any lineup , from the simple fact that we haven't logged enough minutes... "
James also went on to mention that the only recognized starters in the team are their Big 3, consisting of him, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis.
"What is our starting lineup besides me and Russ and AD or AD and Russ or me and Russ? You know we've both been out, so we don't know."
"We don't need a full roster. All our defensive guys are in protocols–Avery, Baze, TA, and Austin." LeBron discusses the absence of the #Lakers' defensive cornerstones and looks ahead to the Christmas showdown with the Nets. @geeter3 https://t.co/RrugnvQdIb
LeBron James is averaging 37 minutes per game this season. It is the most he has played since the 2016-17 season. This is a worrying sign for the team, as James has already been in and out of the lineup due to injuries.
Despite the slump, the Lakers are a playoff-bound team and come that time, they will need the best version of James. Him playing so many minutes this early in the regular season could slow him down come playoff time, which is the last thing the Lakers need.
LeBron James tonight:
36 Points
9 Rebounds
6 Assists
2 Blocks
1 Steal
57% FG https://t.co/vltLMN97QV
LeBron James scores 36 points in Lakers' loss to the Spurs
The LA Lakers came into last night's game on the back of three consecutive defeats. They had won two back-to-back games against San Antonio earlier this season, but this time around the young Spurs team was not going to make it easy for the Purple and Gold.
James caught fire in the first half, but a lack of support from the rest of the unit meant the Lakers entered the break trailing 66-55, with James scoring 23 of his 36 points in the first half alone, shooting a 62.5 % from the field as he tried to inspire his team heading into the second.
The Lakers tried their best to make a comeback, with Russell Westbrook in particular having a big third quarter scoring 17 points. However, their defense fell to pieces down the stretch meaning they never really found a way back into the contest. The Lakers ended up losing 138-110 in what was their worst defensive performance of the season
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The defeat dropped the Lakers (16-17) to below .500 for the season. LeBron and co. currently occupy the sixth spot in the Western Conference. The Lakers will next head home for a Christmas Day matchup against the current #1 ranked team in the East, the Brooklyn Nets.