Am I finding joy in the collapse of others after an abysmal 112-103 loss to the Sacramento Kings? Yes, and I don’t regret it!
The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the NBA’s greatest disasters this season, and they once again showed us why last night. Toronto beat down on LeBron James and Co. on the road in a 114-103 victory. All five Raptors starters scored in double figures as they destroyed LA’s 17th-ranked defense with a 54-36 margin in the paint. James led the way for his team with a solid 30 points and 9 rebounds, but he still finished the night a -21 on the floor. To say the superstar’s frustration boiled over would be an understament.
Not only was James seen showing zero effort to get back on defense after a blown layup, but he was caught yelling at his teammates in the 2nd quarter.
What a brutal sequence for the Lakers… and LBJ not making any effort to get back on defense after missing a layup continues 🤦🏽♂️#RaptorsLakers pic.twitter.com/44pZmEXsF8
— J. Michael (@ThisIsJMichael) March 15, 2022
LeBron is very mad pic.twitter.com/TS8EK8lq7V
— Italo Santana (@BulletClubIta) March 15, 2022
Then, in the third frame, James went after a loose ball alongside Raptors forward Scottie Barnes. He shoved the rookie to the ground before two-hand-chucking the ball into his body. You good, bro?
https://twitter.com/Ballislife/status/1503714454357303297?s=20&t=4yrEBM-EueG6WqfD8ojTng
I got to be honest, I was quite surprised Barnes kept his composure in the way he did. I know throwing the ball of your opponent while falling out of bounds is nothing new, but there is no question James’ efforts reached an “unnecessary” level.
Oh, and speaking of questions, there were *literally* none for LeBron James after the game.
LeBron James will not be speaking to reporters tonight after the game, according to the Lakers.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 15, 2022
Los Angeles has now won just two of their 10 games after the All-Star break, which is tied for the 2nd-worst mark in the NBA, per ESPN Stats & Info. They currently sit 10 games below .500 in the West’s 9th seed, and only 2.0 games separate them from missing the Play-In Tournament entirely.
So … yeah … I know times feel a bit rough in Chicago right now, but let’s remember it could always be worse!
Ps: Lakers, if you don’t want me to laugh at your pain, don’t help the Raptors gain ground in the East. Help a brother out.