After winning two straight games against the Denver Nuggets and New Orleans Pelicans, two teams that made the playoffs last season, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers had high hopes of turning their season around after a rough 0-5 start. However, the schedule gave the Lakers no breaks, as they proceeded to lose to the red-hot Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers in their next games to fall to 2-7.

After a rough shooting start to begin the season, LeBron played at a much better level during the Lakers' 114-100 loss to the Cavs. James shot 13-23 from the field to lead the team with 27 points in the losing effort, a solid bounce back performance from his uncharacteristic 43 percent shooting from the field through eight games (a mark that would be his lowest since his rookie season if it holds).

Nevertheless, one source of LeBron James' frustration, aside from perhaps the Lakers' poor record to begin the year, has been what he's perceived to be an unfavorable whistle towards him. Through nine games, he's averaged a mere 4.9 free throw attempts per game – a career low.

“Last game I got bumped, knocked off the path a few times and at halftime, the refs came to me and told me they missed it. That's kind been what they've been telling me over the last couple of years that they just missed it,” James said, per Michael Corvo.

In the game James was alluding to against the Jazz, he only attempted five free throws, making three of them, as he scuffled to an inefficient 17 points on 19 shots (0-5 from deep). Moreover, he only attempted three shots from the charity stripe against the Cavs, missing all freebies.

With The King mired in a terrible shooting slump, particularly from deep, having made only 13 triples thus far to begin the season out of 62 attempts (a putrid 21 percent), it's easy to see why his frustrations with not reaping the rewards he feels he deserves when he makes his marauding attacks to the rim are bubbling over.

And with LeBron James set to turn 38 in December, the considerable wear and tear his body is taking when he attacks the hoop is surely taking its toll, no matter how well he takes care of his body.

However, Lakers fans know that James experienced an illness last week and that he has encountered various lower body problems over the past few seasons, which could perhaps explain his subpar performances thus far.

But with how great LeBron is, it should only be a matter of time before he comes alive to carry his team once more. LeBron will hope that this time, the officiating winds blow in his favor.