LeBron James’ Shooting Slump Raises Questions About Lakers’ Season and His 82-Game Goal
MINNEAPOLIS — The Los Angeles Lakers are facing a storm of uncertainty, and at the center of it is none other than LeBron James. The 39-year-old superstar, who is in the midst of his worst outside shooting slump since his rookie season, has left fans and analysts alike wondering if his ambitious goal of playing all 82 games this season is realistic. Even Lakers head coach JJ Redick is questioning whether it’s the best move for the team—or for James himself.
“I don’t know that’s in the best interest of him and us if he does that, but if he’s feeling well and feeling good, then he should play,” Redick said after the Lakers’ crushing 109-80 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. “But we obviously want to…manage that as best we can.”
James’ performance against the Timberwolves was far from his usual brilliance. He tied a season low with just 10 points, shooting a dismal 4-of-16 from the field. His struggles from beyond the arc were even more glaring, as he went 0-for-4 on three-pointers, extending his drought to 0-for-19 over the last four games. According to ESPN Research, this marks his worst stretch from deep since he missed 24 straight three-pointers between December 26, 2003, and January 13, 2004, during his rookie campaign.
Milestones Amid Struggles
Monday’s game wasn’t all bad news for James, though. He played in his 1,800th career game (including regular season and playoffs), surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record of 1,797 games. However, with his 40th birthday just weeks away, questions about his durability and effectiveness are becoming harder to ignore.
When asked about his goal to play in all 82 games this season, James was noncommittal. “That’s a goal, but, we’ll see,” he said. “It’s something I ain’t discussing right now.”
By the Numbers: A Slump Unlike Any Other
James’ recent shooting woes are unprecedented in his storied career. Over his last six games, he’s shooting just 25% from the field. According to ESPN Research, this is the first time he’s shot below 45% in six consecutive games since 2004, when he endured an 11-game stretch as a rookie.
“It’s everything,” James admitted when asked what’s been frustrating him about his game. “It’s the rhythm. I just feel off rhythm the last few, three or four games.”
So, how does the King plan to bounce back? His answer was simple: “Work. Just work. That’s all.”
Team Struggles Mirror LeBron’s Slump
James’ struggles have been a microcosm of the Lakers’ larger issues. The team has lost five of its last seven games, and their 80-point output against Minnesota was their lowest since a 122-73 blowout loss to the Dallas Mavericks on January 22, 2017. To make matters worse, James had a team-high six turnovers and a team-worst plus-minus of minus-28 in 31 minutes. On the season, the Lakers have been outscored by 111 points during James’ time on the floor—the worst plus-minus on the team.
Redick didn’t mince words when assessing the Lakers’ recent performances. “I’ve not seen us play the way we played earlier in the year,” he said. “I mean, I’ve got to spend all day tomorrow with my staff trying to figure out how we get back to that.”
Anthony Davis Weighs In
James isn’t the only Laker struggling. Anthony Davis also had a season-low performance against the Timberwolves, scoring just 12 points on 4-of-14 shooting. While he did contribute 11 rebounds and 5 assists, Davis pointed to a lack of spacing as a major issue for the team’s offense.
“We got to get back into our spacing,” Davis said. “We are kind of on top of each other when guys are trying to drive. When guys are in their spots for shooting, there’s a guy right under them. So the spacing is bad.”
What’s Next for the Lakers?
With a quarter of the regular season in the books, the Lakers sit at 12-9, good for No. 8 in the Western Conference. Redick described the team’s season so far as “uneven and inconsistent,” a sentiment echoed by both James and Davis.
“Sometimes we look like a team that can compete with anyone, and sometimes we look like a team that looks terrible and is not going to do anything this season,” Davis said. “So we just got to figure out what team that we want to be for the rest of the season. I think we had games where we were phenomenal and we had games where we were disgusting like tonight.”
James didn’t hold back in his critique either, summing up the Lakers’ offensive struggles in one blunt statement: “Our offense is nasty right now.”
Key Takeaways
- LeBron James is in the midst of his worst shooting slump since his rookie year, going 0-for-19 from three-point range over his last four games.
- The Lakers have lost five of their last seven games and are currently No. 8 in the Western Conference with a 12-9 record.
- Both James and Anthony Davis have called out the team’s offensive struggles, with Davis pointing to poor spacing as a major issue.
As the Lakers look to turn their season around, all eyes will be on James to see if he can rediscover his rhythm—and whether his quest to play all 82 games will remain a priority.
Originally Written by: Dave McMenamin
