The Lakers have lost four of their last six games and are currently sixth in the Western Conference after Sunday’s loss to the Clippers.
LeBron James knows that the Lakers’ roster depth isn’t their strongest point, so they need to minimize mistakes as much as possible from now until the end of the regular season sending a clear message to the rest of the league.
“This is how our team is built,” James said on Sunday after a 116-102 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, according to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. “We have no margin for error, we can’t make any mistakes.”
The veteran understands that the competition in the Western Conference will be tough and that maximum effort and commitment are required from every player. “We have no other choice. I mean… this is how our team is built. We have to do it; we have to play nearly perfect basketball,” he added sending signals to the rest of the league that his team won’t play games.
What coach JJ Redick said
JJ Redick is in his first season as the L.A Lakers head coach, and after hearing James’ comments, he shared his thoughts on the team’s current situation.
“We don’t have a big margin for error, that is true” said Redick. “We need to focus daily on attacking the paint, playing with a paint-to-perimeter mindset, and making the extra pass. We don’t have anyone on our team who consistently draws double teams or someone who can beat their defender one-on-one, get into the paint, and create opportunities for the perimeter.”
“That’s just how our team is built. So we have to rely on connectivity and execution. When we do that, we’re really good.”
The perimeter shooting has been off, and rebounding hasn’t been much better. The purple and gold hit just 9 of 27 three-point attempts, and the rebounding battle was won by their cross-town rivals.
The Lakers have lost four of their last six games and currently sit sixth in the Western Conference with a 22-18 record.
