The disappointing season of the Los Angeles Lakers has apparently reached a new low with the blowout defeat in front of their own audience against New Orleans. While the fans let their frustration run free, LeBron James was at a loss afterwards.
“I don’t have any answers for tonight,” James said after his team’s poor performance, which culminated in a 95-123 loss to the Pelicans. “They went to Phoenix and beat the Suns, today they kicked our doors down.”
The game was lost, especially in the third quarter, which LA lost 25:44. “From the six-minute mark in the second quarter into the third period, we had no answers,” LeBron said.
Head coach Frank Vogel tried to explain: “If you have 23 turnovers, then you won’t win. Some of them were just negligence and then we’re currently ice-cold from the perimeter.” The Lakers hit a meager 7/34 threes (20.6 percent) against the Pelicans.
LeBron also played his part in the turnover problem, leading his team with 32 points but also giving away the ball seven times. “I’m always trying to find ways to get better. Of course, seven turnovers aren’t a way to win basketball games,” said the 37-year-old.
The Lakers have lost five of their last six games and a total of nine of their last twelve. Loud Elias Sports Bureau It was only the fourth time in LeBron’s career that his team had lost by more than 20 points despite surpassing 30 – the second time this season. James admitted that the Lakers’ struggles this season are “different” than their teams’ previous downturns in their careers.
Los Angeles Lakers: “Body language needs to get better”
“The teams come into the hall and play harder,” criticized Russell Westbrook (16 points, 7 turnovers). “I think that’s what they say in the scouting report – just play hard and see what happens. And that still works. We have to show more determination, that can’t happen in our own hall.
While the fans in the crypto.com Arena started with a boo concert in the third quarter, the Lakers’ heads went down more and more. “Our body language has to get better when something like this happens,” said Dwight Howard, who otherwise also found “no words” for the blowout bankruptcy.
“When things don’t go well, it’s only natural that sometimes the air goes out,” said Vogel. “We have to flush the game down the toilet. Just put it behind us.” Next, LA has to play the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night (live from 4 p.m. on DAZN).
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