It’s back to the drawing board for the Lakers. They seemed like the favourites to clash against the Thunder in the WCF. “Lakers in 5,” said Shannon Sharpe. But did the pressure get to them? They got out in 5 instead, sending the entire fanbase into disarray. There were still a lot of positives to draw, like LeBron James showing the NBA how it’s done at 40, while also signing a future HOF in Luka Doncic. But LeBron’s won it all, and he sees something that the LakeShow is missing in order to win – a team.
On Mind The Game, James and Steve Nash spoke extensively on that first-round loss. What eventually caused them to crash out 4-1 to the Timberwolves? According to James, it was the reliance on individual brilliance over team cohesion that made the difference.
“For me, I have definitely learned over the years that teams win championship. Teams always win championships. Yes, individuals get a lot of accolades. Collective group, you know, wins championships. You have your big guys who make big plays at the end of the games, throughout the game. Whatever the case may be. But ultimately teams win championships,” said LeBron on the podcast.
One example is the Boston Celtics. They’ve had the most points-per-possession, in 1.21. In terms of the other metrics, the Pacers lead in assists-per-game in 29.7 and assists-per-turnover ratio in 2.4. All of these stats indicate a strong team game. The Lakers meanwhile rank 7th in both points-per-possession and assists-per-game, with 1.1 and 21.2 respectively, and around the middle-tier in assists-per-turnover ratio at 1.5.
So these are the demands to Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka- find a good team, instead of just 15 individual players. And that speaks volumes of the season. For some reason, LeBron James and Luka Doncic are the only ones receiving the heat. Did the people forget there’s other people on the court playing the same game?
LeBron James: “There’s eight other guys on the floor”
This is a developing story…
The post Rob Pelinka & Jeanie Buss Under Pressure After LeBron James Sends Strong Message to 8 Lakers Stars appeared first on EssentiallySports.