“We’re Individually F****ng Up”: LeBron James Hints at Turmoil in Lakers as Undeniable Change Awaits Locker Room
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“I’m embarrassed. We’re all embarrassed,” JJ Redick said after the game. Wednesday’s game was a complete disaster for the Lakers. The Heat handed them a crushing 134-93 defeat on the road. Miami’s shooters were on fire, sinking a jaw-dropping 24 threes—a franchise record! The Lakers, on the other hand, looked lost on defense, consistently leaving Heat players wide open behind the arc. It felt like watching a basketball horror movie, with every missed rotation leading to another dagger from deep.
The Heat didn’t just win; they turned the game into a three-point clinic at the Lakers’ expense… They have now lost 6 of their past 8 games, bringing their season record to 12-10. The only good news from this loss is that LeBron James seems to have shaken off his slump. He posted 29 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds against the Heat. Despite his performance, the 4x MVP had some harsh words.
“You know, when you’re individually f—–g up and, you know, and you’re trying to rely on everybody else to come before you after it starts with individuals have to take accountability,” said James after the match.
“Uh, I think there’s a lot of communication is not as great as it needs to be. So many great teams out here, and, uh, anytime you make a mistake, especially with us teams, make you pay in Miami.” further explained the 4x MVP.
LeBron’s not pleased pic.twitter.com/E7m1jFVVoW
— Five Reasons Sports 🏀🏈⚾️🏒⚽️ (@5ReasonsSports) December 5, 2024
Coach Redick plans to meet with both his coaching staff and players to address the situation. First, he’ll talk with the entire team, then focus on individual players “to try to prevent the group from splintering further,” Buha reported on X. There seems to be division, though, among the team which JJ wants to address at the earliest. On-court issues can amplify if the off-court ones aren’t sorted.
Lakers’ Star Anthony Davis also feels the division among the franchise
Losing stings, especially for players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who are used to winning day in and day out. But in the world of professional sports, a blowout loss can quickly stir up problems, and that’s exactly what the Purple and Gold are dealing with now. AD is fully aware of how a tough stretch can create division, and the hoopster’s urging the LA team to stay tight.
“We can’t separate. We gotta stay together as a team, as a unit, and make sure that this doesn’t turn into something that we don’t want,” Davis shared after the Lakers’ rough loss to the Heat, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
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It’s easy to point fingers when things go south, but for the Lakers, the recent losses have been a result of poor gameplay across the board. Instead of blaming others, as Bron pointed out, it’s about taking responsibility and diagnosing the issues. AD, for his part, struggled during this stretch as well. He posted a disappointing 12 points on 4-14 shooting against Rudy Gobert, the NBA’s DPOY.
Then, facing Bam Adebayo in the very next game, things didn’t improve. Anthony Davis finished with just eight points on 3-14 shooting. If the Lakers want to get back on track, Davis knows he has to step it up.
What do you think? Will JJ Redick be able to unite the Lakers? Or will this division among the teammates stay leading to more losses?