Lakers are searching for some much-needed consistency
Welcome to the Lakers newsletter, where we dive into the noise surrounding them and how they are trying to ignore it and where we get to see the softer side of LeBron James when it comes to his daughter, Zhuri.
The noise has become deafening amid an uneven stretch of play as the Lakers head toward the final drive of the NBA season.
The noise has only grown as the Lakers search for their consistency and cohesion so late in a season.
Injuries have played a part in their up-and-down play, but so has their subpar play at times.
They are 3-3 since the All-Star break, having lost three consecutive games at one point during this period.
They were ranked 17th in the league in defensive rating (114.2) during this stretch, which is in line with their defensive rating for the season that’s near the bottom at 22 (116.3).
Perhaps the best way to describe these Lakers was provided by Rui Hachimura.
“I think when we play good, like really good, we [are] looking like a championship team, you know,” Hachimura said. “But when we [are] not, like we have a lot of time that we [are] not, then we look like we’re just literally [an] out-of-a-playoff team…At the time we have to kind of have to focus. It’s a long season, you know, it’s just a long season.
“We have a lot of injured guys, in and out, so we have a different rotation, different kind of starting lineup, whatever. But I think we have to focus on that part. We have to play together, playing hard, and those are gonna be really good for us. Staying consistent and we can look like a championship team all the time.”
It’s just that when the Lakers lose games, they lose big, by wide margins, and that has made the noise grow.
In the last few days, coach JJ Redick has used the phrase, “the world is falling for us 19 times,” when they have lost.
Redick is referring to how those 19 losses have been by double digits, the latest a 22-point spanking by the Boston Celtics last week that started the Lakers on a three-game skid. They have lost 24 games on the season.
“We haven’t had the consistent level of effort and execution,” Redick said. “That’s kind of been the thing all season [is] to really establish that identity. But I’m confident we will.”
The Lakers have 22 games left to find it.
They are sixth in the Western Conference and are looking to move up.
“Obviously we didn’t start good [out of the All-Star break], but nothing is over,” Luka Doncic said. “We just got to keep bringing the mindset of trying to win every game.”
Girl’s Dad
LeBron James with his daughter, Zhuri, eight years ago.
(Steven Vlasic / Getty Images)
He was simply a girl’s dad spending time with his daughter at his place of work, all part of a family outing in the San Francisco area.
When LeBron James finished his pregame routine before the Lakers played the Golden State Warriors on Saturday at Chase Center, his 11-year-old daughter, Zhuri, joined him on the court.
She stood at the free-throw line and tossed up an overhead shot that banked in for a basket. The crowd watching applauded, drawing a smile from dad and daughter.
Zhuri capped her time with dad by throwing a lob pass that James dunked while hanging on the rim. The two did their own handshake.
After the game, James beamed talking about spending time with Zhuri. He talked about taking her to Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and having dinner Friday night.
“I miss a lot of moments spending time with my kids because of my career. Over the course of my career, any time I got moments with them either individually, two of them, three of them all together, whatever the case may be, it’s always special for me,” James said.
“So, to have my daughter want to come on the road and and be with me [is special]. And spent a lot of time yesterday. We went to Alcatraz. She wanted to go to Alcatraz. We saw Alcatraz, saw the Golden Gate Bridge, we went to dinner last night. So, I spent a lot of time. It was pretty cool. It was awesome.”
Zhuri plays volleyball, but she displayed some deft handles while dribbling the basketball.
But make no mistake, James said, she is a volleyball player through and through. Besides, James said, wife Savannah already has a husband who plays for the Lakers, son, Bronny, who plays for the Lakers and son, Bryce, redshirting on Arizona’s basketball team.
“She’s a volleyball player. Don’t get my wife mad. My wife is done with this basketball….” James said, laughing. “She’s done with it. She’s a volleyball player. But she’s been around the game for a while, so she does got good handles. She got a good form, too. But my wife ain’t playing that. Not another one. She said that’s it. That’s it.”
After they were done during their pregame activities, James and Zhuri walked off the court holding hands.
The girl’s dad beamed.
“It’s special. It’s special. It’s definitely softened me up over the last 11 years,” James said. “I had two boys to begin with, but getting a little girl 11 years ago, man, it’s definitely softened me up. So, it’s special to have her. You know, it’s a different type of love.
“If anybody got girls and boys, it’s a different type of love that you [share]. It’s tough love when it comes to my boys. I yell at them and stuff, whatever. They take it. They know how to approach it. It’s different. It’s a little softness with my daughter. So, it’s pretty cool.”
Besides All-Star games, James said it was the first time Zhuri had gone on a trip with him.
The Lakers beat the Warriors too.
“She’s a good luck charm,” James said.
Austin Reaves was sitting next to James in the locker room listening to James.
“She’s going to Denver,” Reaves said.
The Lakers play at Denver Thursday night.
“Uh don’t say that too loud, because she’ll definitely be like, ‘Dad, can I go to Denver?’” James said, smiling. “She already said, ‘When is the next road trip?’”
Redick has two boys, Knox, 11, and Kai, 9, and he can appreciate having that family time, especially when the Lakers spend so much time traveling and having games that take them away.
So, seeing Zhuri and James together was a moment Redick enjoyed.
“Yeah, Zhuri, she rode on the plane back just last night,” Redick said after the game Saturday night. “That was fun for her…[Lakers assistant coach] Scotty [Brooks] has talked a lot about this with me and a number of coaches have. It’s one of the greatest gifts we get. We get to expose our kids to this beautiful sport and this beautiful league.”
On Tap
Tuesday vs. Pelicans (19-43), 7:30 p.m.
Zion Williamson, who had played in his NBA-best 35 straight games, missed the Clippers game Sunday because of a right ankle injury and is listed as day to day.
Thursday at Denver (37-24), 7 p.m.
The Nuggets and Lakers are neck-and-neck for the fifth and sixth spots, respectively, in the West, with Denver at No. 5. All-Star center Nikola Jokic leads the NBA in triple-doubles with 24, averaging 28.8 points (sixth in the league), 12.6 rebounds (first) and 10.5 assists (first).
Friday vs. Indiana (15-46), 7:30 p.m.
The Pacers have the worst record in the Eastern Conference and are in the midst of a six-game losing streak.
Sunday vs. New York (39-22), 12:30 p.m.
Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson is tied for ninth in the league in scoring (26.7). The Knicks are a very good defensive team, holding teams to 111.1 points per game, the fifth-best mark in the league.
In case you missed it
Luka Doncic and LeBron James power Lakers to another rout against last-place Kings
Luka Doncic and Lakers dominate Curry-less Warriors to halt losing streak
Lakers hire former Virginia coach Tony Bennett as a draft advisor
New Lakers executive Lon Rosen discusses increased ticket prices, Magic Johnson
Until next time…
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