LeBron James Sends Inspirational Message to Lakers Fans After Season-Opening Loss

Despite being on the losing end of their opener to the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James remains high on his team’s outlook for the 2019-20 season.

On Wednesday, he took to social media to thank fans for their support and also offer motivation for the future.

James came close to a triple-double by scoring 18 points, grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out eight assists. The lone negative on the night for the veteran who began his 17th NBA season was his shooting, in which he connected on only 7-of-19 from the field and hit just 1-of-5 from beyond the arc.

Despite the defeat, the duo of James and Anthony Davis both took the court for their first official game as teammates. Davis picked up a double-double with 25 points and 10 rebounds, while also adding five assists.

The status of Davis for opening night had been in question just 10 days ago after he injured his thumb during the Lakers’ trip to China. However, he appeared to have no problems, though his shooting touch saw him hit on just 8-of-21 from the field, while missing both 3-point attempts.

Still, as a team, the Lakers played the Clippers even for three quarters before their Staples Center co-tenants scored the first seven points of the final period. That allowed them to hold the lead for the remainder of the contest and come away with a 112-102 victory.

James and the Lakers will return to action on Friday night for their first official home game of the season at Staples Center. That’s when they host the Utah Jazz, the first of three straight games at the facility.