Lakers' LeBron James reveals what to 'blame' for heartbreaking defeat vs. Magic
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The Los Angeles Lakers had their six-game winning streak snapped by the Orlando Magic on Thursday. After the game, LeBron James said via Dave McMenamin postgame that a lackluster quarter was what made the difference in the 119-118 outcome.
“Because it’s a 48-minute game, you can’t just point to the free throws,” James said. “You want to try to close out the game. We had our chances, we miss them and you move on.
“What we did in the third quarter, we were outscored 29-21. We came out, lost the lead, had a seven-point lead at halftime and they took the lead in third. There are a lot of games within the game. You can’t just point to one thing. You have your opportunity at the free-throw line. We didn’t capitalize but we move on from that.”
For the Lakers, they won six straight up to Thursday’s loss. In four of those six wins, they scored more than 120 points. The mix of star power, intriguing lineups, and good coaching have them sitting close to the top of the Western Conference. Even with James in his 22nd season, he’s performing like an all-star. Also, Anthony Davis has performed at an MVP level this season.
Lakers third quarter struggles show that the Magic are legit
Although James talked about making free throws, there are no excuses or blame solely for the loss. Still, Orlando has been a great team in their own right. The Magic are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 10-7 record. They’ve proven to be one of the best young teams, as well as the best teams this season. After Thursday’s game, they still allow the fewest points per game in the NBA.
On the flip side, the Lakers have the sixth-best offense in the league, registering 117.3 points per game. First-year head coach JJ Redick has implemented more three-point shooting and coaching concepts that were lost for the past few seasons. Even Lakers players have been excited for Redick to coach. Despite a solid game plan, the activity from Orlando proved too much. For them, it wasn’t their defense, but rather, their offense.
Franz Wagner helped secure that 29-point third quarter that swung the momentum toward the Magic. Also, the Magic were without Paolo Banchero, who suffered a torn oblique. Without their all-star, they’ve been convincingly winning games against quality teams. In seven of their 10 wins, they’ve allowed fewer than 100 points.
While James highlighted the standard for the Lakers, it’s one loss after a six-game winning streak. They’ll likely get back to where they were as they prepare to take on the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.
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