The Los Angeles Lakers lost a heartbreaker in the final second at the Chicago Bulls.
A crazy game went down between the Chicago Bulls and LA Lakers, one that saw multiple lead changes in the final 12 seconds.
Josh Giddey sealed it with an unlikely half-court buzzer-beater, the first game-winning shot of his NBA career.
The Lakers’ scramble in the final seconds was triggered by a hapless LeBron James turnover, that saw him criticized as ‘careless’ by Lakers legend James Worthy.
It showed how quickly the NBA can turn. Just 24 hours earlier LeBron James was celebrating a dramatic buzzer-beater to defeat the Indiana Pacers.
LeBron James’ mistake was just one factor in the loss. But it was also just what his critics would have wanted to see.
This week the superstar has had a war of words with Stephen A. Smith, that even attracted the scorn of NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
Naturally, Stephen A. Smith made reference to LeBron James’ mistake against the Bulls, when discussing the Lakers on his YouTube channel.
But he did not dwell on it, accepting the error was uncharacteristic of the four-time superstar.
Instead he pointed the finger towards new teammate Luka Doncic for the Lakers’ recent defensive lapses, arguing that this is a consistent problem for the Lakers.
Smith said: “They’ve been outscored by a total of 48 points with LeBron and Luca on the court together.
“LeBron might have had a brain fart in Chicago last night. But we know that’s not something he will customarily do. It happens.
“Luka being blown by, Luka not playing defense, Luka not seeming in good enough shape, is a different problem and a different animal altogether.
“It’s something that we all need to pay attention to.”
Doncic has admitted he is still learning to play alongside his new teammates, pointing out that building chemistry can take a lot longer than just a matter of week.
Moans over his defense and fitness were some of the reasons the Dallas Mavericks leaked to the media for wanting to trade him. Was there some truth in it, or is Stephen A. Smith just leaning into lazy tropes to beat a new target with?
The Lakers are 1-4 over their last five games. They are 44-26 and face the Memphis Grizzlies next, who have just fired head coach Taylor Jenkins.
Currently the Lakers’ record is enough for fourth spot in the West, but with the Warriors and Timberwolves in seventh and eighth both on 41 wins, danger is ahead for the Lakers if they do not get another win together.
Kendrick Perkins has voiced his fears LeBron James is only 70 per cent healthy, and he certainly has looked a little off his game since his return from injury.
This adds to the pressure on Luka Doncic to step up, as LeBron’s defense really picked up prior to his injury. But when he is not firing at all cylinders, it increases the spotlight on Doncic at both ends of the floor.
