The Lakers have hit the skids, and LeBron James has no interest in addressing it.
The 40-year-old declined again to speak to the media on Saturday at Lakers practice, two days after he did not make himself available following the team’s Christmas Day loss to the Rockets, after which head coach JJ Redick went off on the team.
“Because we don’t care enough right now,” Redick said Thursday. “We all care. But we don’t do the things that are necessary. We don’t care enough to be a professional.”
Redick also declared Saturday’s practice would be “uncomfortable.”
“The truth is uncomfortable, and so you have to put everything out there, that’s all it is,” Redick said after the practice, per ESPN.
The Lakers (19-10) are tied for fourth in the Western Conference entering Sunday’s home game against the Kings, but they’ve lost three in a row and six of their last 10. During the three-game skid, the Lakers have been outscored 354-292.
“We had a great meeting as a staff this morning,” Redick told reporters. “Came in super early and we met with the players, and it was very positive and it was also listening. It was also for our staff, myself, to listen to the players and what they need.”
James, whose season didn’t begin until mid-November due to sciatica, is averaging 20.2 points, 6.8 assists and 5.1 rebounds in 13 games; the Lakers are 8-5 when James plays this season.
He has had to adjust to the Lakers making Luka Doncic their centerpiece after last season’s shocking trade, which sent Anthony Davis to the Mavericks. Doncic is leading the NBA with 33.7 points per game and is also averaging 8.7 assists and 8.5 rebounds.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
