LeBron James did not mince words as he expressed his growing frustration after the Los Angeles Lakers suffered their 10th loss in 13 games, falling 127-113 to the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.
“We just suck right now,” a visibly perturbed James stated after scoring 32 points in the Lakers’ fourth consecutive loss.
Despite Anthony Davis contributing 31 points, the Lakers continue to face discouraging defeats since winning the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament. The team, which allowed a season-high 23 three-pointers to the struggling Memphis squad, has only managed victories against San Antonio, Oklahoma City, and Charlotte since their triumph in Las Vegas four weeks ago.
Before the game, coach Darvin Ham expressed confidence in his job security, citing discussions with owner Jeanie Buss and general manager Rob Pelinka. Following the Lakers’ latest disappointing performance, Ham acknowledged areas of improvement but expressed frustration with the public’s reaction to their recent struggles.
“This is the NBA, man,” Ham emphasized. “It’s a marathon. You have to look at the totality of the picture. I’m tired of people living and dying with every single game we play. It’s ludicrous, actually. It’s like, ‘Come on, man. This is a marathon.’ We hit a tough stretch. It’s the same team. We played some high-level games a little while ago, and we’ve just got to get back to that. We’ve got to keep the fight, though. We cannot lose our fight.”
In contrast to his coach’s optimism, James responded negatively to the suggestion that the Lakers’ solid play in the tournament final indicated their potential as championship contenders.