MINNEAPOLIS — LeBron James shrugged. He rolled his eyes. He complained to the refs. He hung his head.
There was no discretion Monday in Minnesota — all the things you wanted to know concerning the Lakers and their main scorer was on show in huge, daring letters.
Enjoying on the second evening of back-to-back video games, James regarded as uncomfortable as ever in a Lakers uniform as he and his workforce failed time and again on the recreation’s easiest activity — placing the ball within the basket.
Minnesota beat the Lakers 109-80 on Monday, their fifth loss of their final seven video games. James has now gone 4 straight video games and not using a made three-pointer, and the Lakers’ offense has failed to attain 110 factors or extra in 5 of its final six video games.
For James, it’s been a depressing stretch of offensive basketball, significantly from the perimeter the place he’s now missed 19 consecutive threes. He’s additionally been remarkably careless with the ball, turning it over six instances on Monday, together with one go that completely break up D’Angelo Russell and Gabe Vincent on the break, neither participant near holding it from going into the seats.
James has turned it over not less than 5 instances in 11 of the Lakers’ 21 video games.
Russell, who missed Sunday’s ugly win in Utah, led the Lakers with 20 factors.
Barely much less regarding than the James’ struggles is Anthony Davis’ dangerous week. Monday, he scored solely 12 factors, a season low. He’s been held under 20 in three of the Lakers’ final 4 video games.
Earlier than the sport, coach JJ Redick stated he and the gamers believed the very best model of their workforce is one primarily based on movement.
“I think everybody that I’ve talked to, and that’s our main seven or eight guys, they all feel the same way I do, which is the best version of us is when we have body and ball movement. I think we’ve seen that be a fact,” Redick stated. “I think they all agree with that. I’ve had conversations with them, they’ve all agreed with that. And I think if you look at the quarters, games where we’ve stalled out, we haven’t had that.”
The workforce didn’t transfer a lot Monday as they trudged by way of the worst offensive recreation for the group since 2017.
The Lakers play once more Wednesday in Miami and end the journey on Friday in Atlanta.
