The Los Angeles Lakers looked incredible to start the season, with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and new head coach JJ Redick leading the team to wins in each of their first three games. However, the Lakers have since lost four of their last five, including last night’s blowout defeat against the Memphis Grizzlies.
With Davis out for the game due to injury, 39-year-old James shouldered the load last night and scored a game-high 39 points to match his age. It was not nearly enough to overcome the young, wily Grizzlies, who cruised to a 131-114 win despite turning the ball over seven more times than Los Angeles.
After the game, James gave his thoughts on the loss.
“At the end of the day, especially when you lose bodies, you got to compete. You got to compete even harder,” James said. “You got to be out there giving it everything that you got and on both ends. I think there were times that we did that, but the majority of the time, I don’t think we sustained energy and effort.”
To say the Lakers have fallen back to Earth would be an understatement. After beating three playoff teams — the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, and Sacramento Kings — to begin the 2024-25 NBA season, Los Angeles has only managed to beat one team: the lowly Toronto Raptors.
Aside from the 131-125 win in Toronto on Nov. 1 that saw the Lakers nearly blow a more than 20-point lead, the team lost every game of their five-game road trip. The first loss of the season came in a rematch against the Suns and was followed up by a blowout loss to the white-hot Cleveland Cavaliers in a homecoming for LeBron and his son Bronny James.
After a brief reprieve in Canada, the Lakers traveled down to Detroit to play the Pistons in a game many expected L.A. to win. However, the Lakers fell behind early and could not complete the comeback, losing 115-103 despite 37 points from Davis.
Fortunately for the Lakers, it’s time to go back home. The loss in Memphis completed their longest road trip until late January and February, and now, the team can enjoy three consecutive games at Crypto.com Arena, two of which are against very beatable opponents.
First up are the Philadelphia 76ers (1-6), who are tied with the Milwaukee Bucks and Utah Jazz for the worst record in the league so far. The Sixers will certainly be without former MVP Joel Embiid, who is both working his way back from injury and serving a suspension.
After the 76ers game, Los Angeles hosts the Raptors in the second and final regular-season meeting between the teams this season. The last time they played, RJ Barrett put together one of the best performances of his career — 33 points, 5 rebounds, and 12 assists — and second-year player Gradey Dick dropped 31 points.
The final game of the home stand will be against the Grizzlies, undoubtedly the toughest team in that stretch. After playing Memphis, the Lakers will begin the NBA Cup group stage in San Antonio vs. the Spurs.
