“They showed up with their shovels” - Bill Oram on the Lakers roster’s response vs the Clippers after LeBron James’ “bury me 12 feet under” comments

The LA Lakers' season keeps getting worse, and it seems like there's almost nothing they, not even LeBron James, can do about it. He tried to rally his team after they come out slowly after the All-Star Break, but that fell on deaf ears.

Los Angeles (27-35) is 6-16 since Jan. 9. They've lost all four games since the All-Star break, and all four were played at Crypto.com Arena.

Bill Oram, the Lakers' beat writer for The Athletic, had the task of writing about their 132-111 loss to the LA Clippers on Thursday. Oram did not hold back, bashing the Lakers' lack of energy, coaching decisions, overall roster management and play.

Oram slammed the Lakers for having multiple All-Stars but still losing by 21 points to a team that played no one who had ever been an All-Star. (Clippers stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are sidelined with injuries.) He finished the article passionately while also bringing up something that James had said earlier to inspire his teams. He wrote:

“James said earlier this week that any team he is on has a chance ‘until you stomp me out, cut my head off, bury me 12 feet under.’ The rest of the Lakers heard that challenge and, on Thursday, answered their leader’s call. They showed up with their shovels.”

It is usually true that any team with LeBron James can make a run for the NBA Finals, but it has just not been possible this season. The issues, from health and to the playing style of the players, have been too difficult to overcome. This season may end up as a lost cause. The team is not a championship contender and may not be worth a locked-in playoff spot.

What to think of this season for LeBron James?

LA Lakers forward LeBron James with the ball

It is hard to blame LeBron James for this horrendous season. James averages 28.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 6.2 assists in 36.8 minutes per game. He has been the definition of carrying a team – with little to no help – night in and night out.

Anthony Davis is not injured, again, and it is disappointing that he can’t stay healthy, but that's out of his control. But when he was playing, he was a shell of himself from two years ago when the Lakers won the NBA Finals. He could not get to the paint with ease, settling for midrange jumpers, and was getting beat too often for rebounds.

Then comes Russell Westbrook, who has been healthy. The issue is that he has been the worst possible version of himself for this team. He has a lot of a bad fit with the roster and could not find a role next to James or Davis. Westbrook has been a horrible shooter outside the restricted area, shooting 33% from farther than three feet from the basket.

None of this can be blamed on James. But he played a role in the downfall. He pushed for the trade for Westbrook when it was clear Westbrooks’s playing style was not going to work. James has also shown little effort recently after the All-Star break, possibly edging closer to throwing in the towel on the season.

The Lakers' season has had an onslaught of issues that have not been resolved, and James has been the only bright spot. The problem is that the season is not getting better, and it does not seem like it will.