"We all understood our energy and effort was not where it needed to be" - LeBron James explains tweet after Nuggets defeat

LeBron James put out an apology tweet after the LA Lakers' disappointing 96-133 loss to the Denver Nuggets at the Ball Arena on Sunday. James scored 25 points on the night, but couldn't prevent his team from slumping to their 22nd defeat of the season.

Post the game, James tweeted an apology to the Laker Nation for the team's poor performance. It read:

"#LakerNation I apologize and I promise we'll be better !"

As promised by James, both player and team produced an emphatic response, putting away the Utah Jazz 101-95 on Monday. The Lakers' defense was spectacular, as they contained the best offensive unit in the league to under 100 points and only 17 in the fourth quarter.

LeBron James led from the front as the Lakers (22-22) returned to 0.500 on the season. When asked about his tweet after the Nuggets game, the King explained:

"We all understood our energy and effort was not where it needed to be. You know in the Denver game in the second half, in the Memphis game and the other games we lost ... we just weren't playing to the best of our capabilities, we weren't giving maximum effort, so I had to make sure as the leader of the team, just taking the onus and letting the Laker nation know. It wasn't about anyone else. It was about our fans and letting them know that I got this, and it won't happen again."

LeBron James has never shied away from adversity, but despite his team's struggles the four-time NBA champion has been respectful for his teammates. However, post the loss against the Nuggets, he was agitated.

That was clearly visible, as he tweeted an apology and also didn't show up to speak to the media, which is rare. When asked about what kept him from doing so, James replied:

" I didn't like what was going to come out of my mouth, so I decided not to speak with you guys (media) because I understand somethings that I say can be everywhere, so I didn't want that for my teammates at that point of time. So I decided to just keep that to myself."

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LeBron James scores 25 points as LA Lakers put in defensive masterclass to outlast Jazz

Utah Jazz vs Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James continued his brilliance, as he put in another 25-point performance to lead the Lakers to a win. However, the game was all about the Lakers' effort at the defensive end. The Purple and Gold not only kept the Jazz from scoring 100 points, but also contained them to a mere 36.9% shooting from the field.

Stanley Johnson shone on the night, scoring 15 points off the bench. The youngster was magnificent in the fourth quarter, helping the Purple and Gold come from behind to grab the win.

He had a game-high +/- of +18, proving that he was completely deserving of the third ten-day extension the LA Lakers signed him to. The Lakers will next lock horns with the Indiana Pacers at home. They will hope to put in another complete performance on the night and continue their winning ways.