After dominating the competition for the majority of the first half of the 2020-21 NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers have hit a rough patch ahead of the All-Star break.
Following a blowout loss to the league-leading Utah Jazz on Wednesday night, the Lakers have lost five out of their last six games. The defending NBA champions can’t seem to catch a break, with the absences of Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroder taking a major toll on the team.
After an uncharacteristically forgettable performance, LeBron James spoke to the media on Wednesday night and talked about the team’s recent struggles and how it will define the squad’s character moving forward.
“We just hit a rough patch,” James said. “It happens throughout the course of the season.
“You don’t want it to happen, but when it does, I think it defines character. It challenges you. You just get ready for the bounce back, so you learn from tonight, learn from the previous games and then get ready for the next one.”
James believes that these tough times leading into the All-Star break will only help the team as it attempts to repeat. The Lakers will have their hands full against some tough competition in the Western Conference, but adversity will only test the team’s resolve.
“Always the best teacher in life is experience and for us to be going through this right now, I think it is going to benefit our team tremendously,” James said.
Despite being clearly frustrated after the team’s fourth straight loss as he struggled to crack a smile on the postgame Zoom call, head coach Frank Vogel remained optimistic about the outlook for the second half of the shortened NBA season.
“I love our guys. We’re competing. We’re grinding. We’re staying together even though we’re shorthanded,” Vogel said. “It’s a tough part of our season, but we know it’s a marathon. Our group is staying connected and ready to compete again on Friday night to try and turn this thing around. Very confident in our group.”
Although the defending champions continue to struggle with Davis still on the mend, James and Vogel appear to have the right mindset moving forward.
The All-Star break couldn’t have come at a better time for the Lakers, as Vogel’s squad could use the time away from the basketball floor. Los Angeles won’t get back on the floor until March 12 after the All-Star break to face the Indiana Pacers at Staples Center, giving the team ample time to get refreshed and ready for what could be another long playoff run.
