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LeBron James and the LA Lakers suffered their second straight blowout road loss on Tuesday, falling 138-122 to the Atlanta Hawks. Following the disappointing showing, the superstar forward gave a blunt assessment of his team’s struggles.
The Lakers’ loss to Atlanta comes one day after they fell 135-119 to the Houston Rockets. The team struggled mightily on defense in both matchups, surrendering at least 135 points. However, they were shorthanded against the Hawks, as they were without star big man Anthony Davis (Achilles).
After Tuesday’s defeat, James was asked about his satisfaction with his team’s effort level. The four-time MVP highlighted the Lakers’ overall inconsistency. However, he noted that he is used to it at this point in the season, as LA has consistently been a midtier team.
“That's our record. It is what it is,” James said. “We could, at any given night, beat any team in the NBA. And on any given night, we can get our a** kicked by any team in the NBA.”
Notably, the loss dropped the Lakers below .500 (24-25). They are tied for ninth in the Western Conference and on the verge of falling out of play-in contention despite having NBA title aspirations.
The Lakers’ schedule won’t get easier anytime soon, either, as they next take on the league-best Boston Celtics (37-11) on Thursday. The matchup marks the fourth game of their six-game road trip.
Can LeBron James and the Lakers turn their season around?
While LeBron James and the Lakers have had a rocky season thus far, they still have plenty of time to turn their season around. The organization was in a similar situation last season before making a series of midseason trades to spark its 2023 Western Conference finals run.
The Lakers are once again widely expected to be active ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline and have been linked to multiple big-name players. That includes Atlanta Hawks star guard Dejounte Murray.
However, it remains to be seen if LA can make enough moves to drastically improve on both ends of the floor. Through 49 games, the team ranks just 21st in offensive rating (113.4) and 15th in defensive rating (114.9). The Lakers also rank just 28th in 3-pointers per game (11.2).
Many have called for LA to add shooting, a defensive-minded backup center, and a reliable two-way wing. Such moves would allow them to rely less heavily on their inconsistent veterans.
However, with limited trade assets available, it may be difficult for the team to address all of its needs.
