Lakers' LeBron James: 'It Feels Like S--t' to Blow 23-Point Lead, Lose to Pelicans

Despite a 39-point effort from LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers blew a 23-point lead to the New Orleans Pelicans en route to a 116-108 road loss on Sunday.

After the game, James provided a blunt and honest reaction to reporters following the loss, per Kyle Goon of Southern California News Group.

The Lakers shot 52.5 percent from the field and made 40 percent of their three-pointers, but they also committed 15 turnovers. Pels forward Herbert Jones had six steals on his own.

L.A. also went ice-cold in the fourth quarter, scoring only 14 points. Malik Monk and James combined for 13 of them.

New Orleans, which had only seven turnovers, trailed 65-42 late in the second quarter. However, the Pels dropped 41 points in the third quarter and locked down on defense down the stretch for the win. Brandon Ingram led the team with 26 points.

This was another tough loss in a season filled with 43 of them for the 31-43 Lakers, who fell to 10th in the Western Conference and are now perilously close to falling out of the play-in tournament picture.

The Pels jumped L.A. for ninth, and the San Antonio Spurs are only one game behind the Lakers for the final play-in spot.

This was a brutal loss on numerous levels for the Lakers, who will now look to regroup Tuesday when they visit the Dallas Mavericks.