The Los Angeles Lakers were rolled by the New Orleans Pelicans, 123-95, at Crypto.com Arena and on national TV on Sunday night.
It was the Lakers' fifth loss in six games and their second 25+ point home loss of the season. The uninspired effort is the latest nominee for “Worst Loss of the Season”. That list is long, despite the continual raisings of the bar.
The Lakers were sloppy, disorganized, and uninvested for the bulk of the evening — against the team chasing them for the final Play-In spot. Considering the standings, a loss this dispirited makes one wonder if the Lakers would rather pass on the Play-In altogether to get an early start to summer (tbh, who would blame them?)
Los Angeles (27-33) now leads New Orleans and the Portland Trail Blazers (both 25-36) by 2.5 games. Anthony Davis might return for the final handful of games, best case scenario.
Subpar effort has been as detrimental to the 2021-22 Lakers season as injuries. On numerous occasions, the post-game rhetoric has focused on that troubling trend.
But, in the two games prior to All-Star Weekend — a competitive road loss vs. the Golden State Warriors and a comeback win over the Utah Jazz after AD was carried off the floor — the Lakers played with a degree of grit, resiliency, and passion they've seldom displayed.
Alas. The Lakers have come out flat since the 10-day recess: They failed to close out to the Los Angeles Clippers before being run out of the gym by the revamped Pelicans. Jeanie Buss bounced midway through the third quarter.
Jay probably had a set at the Cellar pic.twitter.com/xPwtaclk52 https://t.co/c3BKTEBJrw
— Michael Corvo (@michaelcorvoNBA) February 28, 2022
On Sunday, the Lakers shot 41.7% from the field and 20.6% from three. They turned the ball over 23 times (tied for a season-high). Westbrook and LeBron coughed the rock up seven times each. New Orleans outrebounded Los Angeles by 13, had 14 more assists (the Lakers had just 15 dimes 35 buckets), eight more steals (16-8), and 14 more fast-break points (26-12). The Lakers were outscored 44-25 in the third quarter.
“Tonight, from the six-minute point of the second quarter to the third, no answer,” LeBron said.
There are no positives — besides the passage of time that means this is all closer to being over.
This is both the Lakers season in a nutshell and its lowest point:pic.twitter.com/T5kq6wFzBb
— Michael Corvo (@michaelcorvoNBA) February 28, 2022
At the podium afterward, Russell Westbrook acknowledged the inexcusable effort. In a telling indictment of his own squad, Russ said that he believes opposing teams know they can out-work the Lakers.
“Teams are coming in and playing harder. I believe that's their scouting report: Just play harder than them and see what happens. And it’s working. Until we determine and have the determination that we’re not gonna allow it, especially on our home floor, it will continue to happen to us.”
“Miss or make shots — that’s a part of the game,” he added. “But playing hard, that’s something we can’t not allow ourselves to do.”
(In Westbrook's scenario, at least rival teams are scouting the Lakers at all. Ty Lue admitted the Clippers didn't even bother to prepare for the Lakers — who remain a team without a reliable rotation, style, or scheme.)
“It's real easy to give up, throw in the towel and say negative things,” said Dwight Howard, who lamented the Lakers effort, as he has repeatedly done this year. “So, really at a loss for words. But we got to stay positive. We can't sulk in defeat and we can't quit on each other. I know it's been a very rough season, but, nah. I think that'd be bad.”
"There is plenty of talent in the Lakers locker room to win games in the NBA right now, so there's something mentally, emotionally, psychologically that is heavy." The 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙨𝙉𝙚𝙩 panel recap tonight's loss against Pelicans. pic.twitter.com/LMuI4Wcdfv
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) February 28, 2022
The accountability and honesty are admirable. 60 games into the season, though, it's foolish to expect any full-throated change. The schedule only gets more challenging.
“We got a tough stretch with Dallas, Clippers again Thursday, then Golden State on Saturday,” LeBron said. “And we still got 10 road games this month, or March, so it don't get easier for us.”
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