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Submit ReviewLeBron James became the NBA's all time leader in minutes played on Monday in Philadelphia, combining regular season and postseason floor time.
Never in those 66K+ minutes has LeBron had 48 where he lost by more than the 44 points the Lakers lost by to the Sixers. It was, by amount, the fourth largest loss margin the franchise has ever suffered. And again, the franchise has played many, many games of basketball over the decades.
It was, in short, a monumental disaster, on the heels of arguably the best game the Lakers have played all year, beating the Cavs in Cleveland on Saturday. So what needs to change going forward? "A lot," James said after the game. He didn't elaborate as to what, even asked a few times. But on a night like Monday, there are plenty of things to point to. Defensive coverages? The Lakers absorbed a 3-point barrage and seemed slow to adjust. They had bad possessions and untimely turnovers.
So there are plenty of things that have to get better ahead of Wednesday's game in Detroit, arguably the most important one of the trip (because you can't give away a game to a team that bad, especially on the front end of a back to back, going to OKC). And as Anthony Davis pointed out, the Lakers need to look at the tape, learn quickly, and hold people accountable without anyone taking it personally.
18 games in, nearly a quarter of the way through the season, the Lakers are still very much a work in progress. They aren't, as they were last season, in a big early hole. The warning lights were on early, but the Lakers have righted the ship from a won/loss standpoint. But are they building as quickly as they need to, even understanding the injury issues that can hold a team back? Are they developing the right habits? Is the culture what it needs to be?
Because one thing to remember - while the Lakers have had a lot of injuries, LeBron and Anthony Davis have been healthy and productive. At some point, you have to assume that changes. And to absorb those games either/both miss, you need a team that is pretty well dialed in.
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: The worst loss in LeBron's career. And "a lot" needs to change.
SEGMENT 2: What was LeBron referencing?
SEGMENT 3: How did Anthony Davis react to the loss?
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