LeBron James gallantly tried to carry the severely undermanned LA Lakers against the Sacramento Kings last night. He finished with a game-high 31 points to go with 11 assists and six rebounds but didn’t have enough support to lose 134-120.
After the game, Skip Bayless promptly took a shot at James’ effort with a tweet:
“LeBron did a nice job of stat-padding and Kareem-chasing tonight in a blowout loss at Sacramento – managing to get to 31 points despite going (ho hum) 0-4 from three. Kings>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>King.”
The LA Lakers didn’t have Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook and Austin Reaves. With three of the team’s best players out, LA counted on LeBron James and whatever was left of the roster to compete against the home team.
The four-time MVP scored 13 first-quarter points to give his team the lead 26-25. James’ fellow starters also scored in double-figures led by Lonnie Walker IV’s 19 points.
The Sacramento Kings’ depth and balanced attack, however, were too much to handle. It didn’t help that the Lakers’ defense took another night off as they gave up back-to-back 40-point quarters.
Behind LeBron James’ leadership and playmaking, the Lakers mounted a late 13-3 rally but were squashed by the Kings’ own 8-0 bomb.
James’ 31 points didn’t come when the Lakers were seemingly out of the game. The Lakers were in the game, at least in the first quarter, because of the 18-x All-Star’s production. One can easily make an argument that if it were not for him, the Kings would have easily blown them out.
Skip Bayless has given some questionable and uncalled-for criticism of LeBron James and this one seems to be one of them. “King James” played as a leader should. The Fox Sports analyst would have also criticized him had he not lit up the scoreboard.
Skip Bayless concedes LeBron James’ five straight 30-point game is “impossibly great”
Most basketball fans take it with a grain of salt if Skip Bayless somehow finds it in himself to heap praise on LeBron James. He’s been very sarcastic and underhanded in his comments about the LA Lakers superstar.
Earlier today, he lauded “King James” for his performance over the last five games:
“If I were to scale a 1-10 on this, I’m giving LeBron a 10 because I’ve never seen anything like this. These are 28-year-old numbers. … To do 30-plus in five straight games in year 20 is off the charts. It’s impossibly great but they’re 13-18.”
The LA Lakers are 13-18 but they also could have been much worse without LeBron James’ production and leadership. As great as Anthony Davis has been, they’re unlikely going to be able to sustain success without the four-time champ.
James’ presence alone commands double teams and his playmaking is as great as any. You remove that and the Lakers will be at a disadvantage.
Bayless, however, felt that James could have taken himself off from the Sacramento Kings game when the lead was nearly insurmountable. Darvin Ham let him play for another 10 minutes in the final period and the LA Lakers still lost.
James, though, was a big reason LA made a last-gasp stand before eventually bowing out to the “Beam Team.”
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