The Lakers haven’t met the outsized expectations they garnered over the preseason. This week, the Lakers were booed by Crypto.com Arena faithful during the Lakeshows lackluster 123-95 loss to the Pelicans.
It takes a lifetime to perfect an unguardable shot. Here are some of @KingJames‘ best fadeaway jumpers as a Laker. pic.twitter.com/opI2CgmGJX
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 23, 2022
After the Lakers lost three games in a row, LeBron James was defiant about what he and the Lakers are capable of with only 21 games remaining and the 17-time champions in a fight to make the play-in tournament and ultimately make a run to the NBA Finals.
“We still have games to play,” James said per ESPN. “Until you stomp me out, cut my head off, bury me 12 feet under, then I got a chance. So that’s my confidence.”
At 27-34, James can’t afford to miss any more time to rest. The King has missed 17 games due to various injuries and recently sat out five games due to swelling in his left knee. According to ESPN, James has no plans to shut his season down and is committed to finishing the season no matter how it goes.
“The only way it’ll be back to full strength is with rest,” he said before the All-Star break. “And I don’t have the luxury of having rest. So it’ll wait ’til the offseason.”
As of Wednesday, the Lakers are the ninth seed in the Western Conference and are just two games ahead of the Pelicans and Trail Blazers. New Orleans is in a virtual tie for the last spot in the play-in tournament with the Trail Blazers.
LEBRON IS NOT HUMAN 😭😭🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/DUMfzeALuh
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) March 2, 2022
“Obviously, at the end of the day, we got to come in here and win ballgames, and we got to play better. But as long as we’ve got more games to play, we should have a chance,” James said. “So, that’s my confidence. I hate losing. I feel like poop right now. But tomorrow is a new day, and I’m going to be prepared and ready for the Clippers on Thursday. That’s just — that’s my mindset. That’s just who I am.”
