On Monday night, the Los Angeles Lakers got manhandled by the Philadelphia 76ers 138-94 in a game that was full of frustration for them.
LeBron James didn’t hide that frustration after the game, and he was poised but short with the media. When he was asked what lost them the game, he simply said they “got killed on the 3-point line.” When asked what needs to change, he simply said “a lot.”
"We got killed on the 3-point line today." LeBron keeps it simple with his reason for the loss tonight. pic.twitter.com/jb7vOFWr7B
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) November 28, 2023
James scored only 18 points, and none of his teammates played particularly well. The team as a whole had trouble hitting from the 3-point line (7-of-28), while the Sixers blazed away, going 22-of-46. They also outrebounded the Lakers handily and had twice as many free throw attempts as Los Angeles did.
Outside shooting has been a big weakness for the Lakers for multiple seasons now. They’re now 28th in the NBA in 3-point accuracy at 33.8 percent, and with all the great shooters in the league these days, it puts them at a big disadvantage, as they’re sometimes simply unable to withstand hot streaks by opponents such as the Sixers.
A little bit of help could be on the way on the other end of the floor. Forward Jarred Vanderbilt, a versatile and energetic defender, seems to be getting closer to being able to return from a heel ailment. The team may also get Cam Reddish and Rui Hachimura back sooner rather than later, as both have been sidelined with minor ailments.
Los Angeles now has a 10-8 record on the season, which puts it in eighth place in the Western Conference. It’s important to remember that the team as presently constituted has only been together for a few months, and its injuries this season have only complicated its efforts to grow and jell together.
It will face the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday before completing its road trip with a Thursday contest against the dangerous Oklahoma City Thunder, who are second in the West with an 11-5 mark.
