LeBron James was noticeably and understandably frustrated after the Los Angeles Lakers (16-17) lost their fourth straight game and gave up 138 points in a 28-point loss at home to the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday.
LeBron's ire was not solely a reaction to the Lakers' porous defensive effort in the “final” game at “Staples Center.” But, more generally, it was about the incessant stream of injuries and COVID-related absences preventing the Lakers from establishing any cohesion 33 games into the 2021-22 NBA season.
“We have no chemistry with any lineup,” LeBron said following the Spurs loss, “from the simple fact that we literally haven’t logged enough minutes. It’s the truth. What is our starting lineup besides me Russ and AD? … We don’t know.”
LeBron's comments echoed those after the Lakers' loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, when he was asked if he has seen enough from this Lakers group to know if they can contend with the best in the West.
Thursday's starting five of LeBron, Russell Westbrook, Talen Horton-Tucker, Wayne Ellington, and Dwight Howard marked the 18th different starting lineup Los Angeles has deployed this season. Their most-used lineup doesn't even feature LeBron, but rather AD, Russ, THT, Carmelo Anthony, and Avery Bradley.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6MnJXNoLPxevYvf5sx6Jv4?si=9386857d9ef54725
LeBron also cited the Lakers' lack of available bodies as a reason for their defensive issues, on Thursday and beyond. He noted that “all of our defensive guys” are in health and safety protocols, citing Bradley, Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore, and Austin Reaves. (He omitted Anthony Davis — who is out for at least a month with an MCL sprain — but you understand his point.)
LeBron did his part, once again, dropping 36 points on 15-of-26 shooting — his ninth 30+ point game in 13 contests. Westbrook added 30 points on his own on 12-of-20 shooting, but the Lakers were unable to overcome a strong shooting night from the Spurs, plus their own depleted supporting cast.
The Lakers' bench was outscored 69-20 by the Spurs' reserves. San Antonio drained 18-of-39 from 3-point range, compared to 5-of-27 from Los Angeles.
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