LeBron James, Slumping Lakers Lose to Grizzlies Despite Brandon Ingram's 32
The Los Angeles Lakers' path to the playoffs gets more dire with every loss, and they took a bad one Monday against the struggling Memphis Grizzlies.
Memphis snapped a four-game losing streak with a 110-105 victory over LeBron James and Co. at the FedExForum. The Lakers are now just 4-10 in their last 14 games and have lost four road contests in a row following a dramatic win over the Boston Celtics on Feb. 7.
Mike Conley led the way for the Grizzlies with 30 points and five assists, while Jonas Valanciunas added a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds.
James finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists for the Purple and Gold and became the first player in NBA history to rank in the top 10 all-time in points and assists by passing Andre Miller (8,524) in career dimes. That, along with 32 points from Brandon Ingram and 22 points from Kyle Kuzma, still wasn't enough to earn the win.
Lakers Horrendous Defense Will Keep Them Out of the Playoffs
It's not often James—he of eight straight trips to the NBA Finals and regular consideration in the greatest-of-all-time debate—gets blamed for his team's struggles, but there is some thought he has significantly damaged the chemistry of a tenuous Lakers squad.
"He killed the [Lakers'] chemistry," an NBA executive told Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. "He shouldn't have been so public about it. Even during the All-Star draft, he laughed about [wanting Davis to be his teammate]."
James had to settle for playing alongside Anthony Davis in the All-Star Game only, as the Lakers were unable to trade for him despite their very public pursuit.
While chemistry concerns with a young core that was dangled as trade bait are very real, the most tenable thing holding Los Angeles back in the playoff race is an abysmal defense that allowed 34 points in the first quarter alone to a Grizzlies team that traded Marc Gasol and was without Jaren Jackson Jr. (quad).
Frankly, the Lakers should have steamrolled Memphis out of the gates if they are to be taken seriously as a Western Conference threat.
Instead, Valanciunas established himself as a force on the low blocks, Avery Bradley crossed up Ingram so badly the youngster ended up on the ground and even Joakim Noah blew past Los Angeles' defense for a dunk like it was 2011 and he was wearing a Chicago Bulls uniform.
The defensive woes came right after the Lakers allowed 128 points in a Saturday loss to a New Orleans Pelicans team playing without Davis, which was another inexcusable performance for a group supposedly fighting for its playoff life.
It was more of a same for a Lakers team that entered Monday's contest allowing triple digits in 18 straight games and at least 120 points in 10 of its last 14. Los Angeles was an ugly 27th in the league in defensive rating in its prior 15 games, per NBA.com, and has featured slow rotations to the weak side, lackluster rim protection and late challenges on jump-shooters.
It should be noted the defensive issues and chemistry woes don't exist in a vacuum.
"LeBron rarely exerts himself beyond a casual jog in transition defense and disregards spot-up shooters in most half-court situations, leaving them wide open," Pete Zayas of Laker Film Room said, per Pincus. "His defensive game these days resembles a disinterested center rather than the high-end wing defender that he once was."
James sets the tone, and his lackluster effort on the defensive side has permeated the rest of the squad to this point.
The end result is a team that entered this matchup with the Grizzlies three games behind the Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs and two games behind the Sacramento Kings in the race for the final two playoff spots in the West. It is hardly the position James is accustomed to in his Hall of Fame career.
Even if the Lakers do sneak in the playoffs, it is nearly impossible to see this defense countering the All-Star-caliber talent across the floor on the Golden State Warriors, the depth on the Denver Nuggets or the Russell Westbrook and Paul George combination on the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Los Angeles isn't even going to reach the playoffs at this point, and its absolute ceiling is a first-round exit. It can point toward its atrocious defense alongside the reported chemistry issues when looking for a culprit.
What's Next?
Both teams are home Wednesday with the Lakers hosting the Pelicans and the Grizzlies facing the Chicago Bulls.
