LeBron James, Lakers Blasted by NBA Twitter for Poor OT Shooting in Loss vs. 76ers

Erin WalshDecember 10, 2022

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 09: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the second quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on December 09, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

The Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Philadelphia 76ers 133-122 in overtime on Friday night at Wells Fargo Center, dropping to 10-15 on the season.

Anthony Davis had a solid outing, finishing with 31 points, 12 rebounds, two steals and two blocks in 36 minutes. However, LeBron James, who returned from a one-game absence due to an ankle injury, struggled.

James finished with 23 points, four rebounds, six assists and two steals in 43 minutes. He made 9-of-22 shots from the floor and 1-of-8 shots from deep.

While James' performance was underwhelming, the entire team struggled to get anything going in overtime, scoring just two points in OT after Davis tied it at 120 with a free throw late in the fourth quarter.

Following the loss, James and the Lakers were ripped by NBA Twitter for their subpar late-game performance:

Dr. Rajpal Brar, DPT @3cbPerformance
Fitting overtime for a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lakers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lakers</a> team that didn't deserve to be anywhere close to a W tonight. Going from that type of comeback to that type of let off is frankly pathetic man

Quincy Hodges @QuincyHodges
Lakers gave up in OT

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Skip Bayless @RealSkipBayless
Impossibly, the Lakers came from 9 down with 29 seconds left to tie in regulation. Then, impossibly, they missed their first 9 shots in overtime and lost by 11. What a weird team.

Doug Polk @DougPolkVids
The lakers are such a beautiful disaster

Skip Bayless @RealSkipBayless
NOOOO: Both Austin Reaves and AD missed a free throw that would've won it ... as Doc's Sixers suffered as awful a turnover-plagued meltdown as I've ever witnessed. Lakers broadcasters declared the game "over" with 3 minutes left. NOPE. OVERTIME.

TSOHG @_ghost_15
Lebron looks old this year …FATHERTime

Romp @OfficialRomp
Lebron is cooked

🏀Lakers downunder 🇦🇺 @Aussie_Lakers
Lebron hasn't had any interest in this game at all

LakeShow🐐🏆#17 @LakerGOAT17
Lebron lost us this game man

𝙚𝙡𝙞 😮‍💨 (10-2) @missedeli_
lebron looked very off tonight

Cecil Williams @cwillpoetry
The best thing Ham did tonight was take LeBron out.

depek @pikaaacuk
lebron too old

Don Diddy @EDiddy__
We need to trade Lebron bro that's it.

coz ﾒ𝟶 @Cozamano
father time has caught lebron

Shauno @kushtheog
Lebron just isn't that guy anymore. Still can put up numbers, but he's obviously not able to get his self going at the level we need him to.

James has been dealing with an ankle injury since a Dec. 2 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. He played the next two games before sitting out Wednesday's game against the Toronto Raptors because of the ailment.

If the Lakers are going to improve this season, it's going to have to start with James staying healthy, though that could be a tough ask at this point, especially considering he appeared in just 56 games last season due to a number of injuries.