Despite Lebron James Sets A Record, Lakers’ Playoff Prospects Face Doubt From Fans After A Loss To The Thunder.
LeBron James’ historic performance in this game was nothing short of remarkable. He surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the all-time scoring list with a fadeaway late in the third quarter, finishing the game with 38 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. Russell Westbrook was the only other Lakers player to score at least 15 points. This performance by James was a testament to his longevity, skill and competitiveness, solidifying his place as one of the greatest players in the history of the game.
This shot.
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 8, 2023
(📸: Andrew D. Bernstein) pic.twitter.com/PUtdY9bTA1
Despite James’ heroic performance, the Lakers’ struggles remain a persistent theme. The team is 6-9 in its last 15 games and currently sits in 13th place in the Western Conference, five games under .500. James has done all he can to help the Lakers win, but the talent around him has come up short. The Lakers’ playoff hopes are now facing doubt from fans, and it’s clear that the team needs to make some changes if they want to compete for a championship this season.
HISTORY.
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 8, 2023
With this bucket, LeBron James moves past Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer! pic.twitter.com/N6V5RxPe6r
So what exactly has gone wrong for the Lakers this season? There are several factors that have contributed to the team’s struggles. For starters, the Lakers have been plagued by injuries. Key players like Anthony Davis and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope have missed significant time this season, and this has had a negative impact on the team’s overall performance.
LeBron James is always great.
— Swipa (@SwipaCam) February 8, 2023
Anthony Davis has moments of greatness.
The ‘Lakers’ are not a playoff team. That’s just reality.
These last two games were extremely important for the Lakers playoffs hopes so ofc they lost both 😂
— Hashim 🐺 (@ItsJustHashim3) February 8, 2023
Bad bad bad loss for the Lakers.
— Jason McIntyre (@jasonrmcintyre) February 8, 2023
Russ and Schroder can’t even make clean passes?
Can’t lose this one to OKC when you trail them in the standings
Playoffs? A pipe dream now
In addition, the Lakers have struggled with consistency. They have had several losing streaks this season, and they have been unable to string together consecutive wins. This lack of consistency has been a major concern for fans and the coaching staff alike. The Lakers need to find a way to put together a run of wins if they want to make a deep playoff push.
Another issue for the Lakers has been their defense. The Lakers have one of the best defenses in the league when they are playing at their best, but they have struggled with consistency on that end of the floor as well. The Lakers have given up far too many points in their losses this season, and this has put a lot of pressure on their offense to carry the load.
Amazing moment between Kareem and LeBron 🤝 pic.twitter.com/E2GvUCLy3B
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 8, 2023
Finally, the Lakers have struggled to get contributions from their role players. The Lakers have a talented supporting cast, but they have been inconsistent in their performances this season. Kyle Kuzma, Dennis Schroder, and Talen Horton-Tucker are just a few examples of players who have had great moments this season, but have struggled to sustain that level of play. The Lakers need their role players to step up if they want to make a deep playoff run.