The Lakers’ 134-110 road loss to the Cavaliers wasn’t just any old defeat. It was the worst loss LeBron James has ever suffered against his former team.
Overall, it’s two straight losses for Los Angeles, both on the road, after three straight wins at home to open the season. The worse news? The Lakers are staying on the road for three more — at Toronto, at Detroit, and at Memphis.
But James suggested all the Lakers can do is try to get things fixed before this five-game trip comes to an end.
“I just don’t think we matched their intensity with energy and effort,” James told reporters of the loss to the Cavs. “It’s never good to take a step backwards, but we did that. And now we got to figure out how we can take two steps forward next time.”
On the bright side, the Raptors aren’t likely playoff or play-in bound, and they look like they’re about to spend an entire season fixing everyone else’s issues. In other words, this is a game the Lakers will be favored to win, and should win.
If not, don’t blame new coach JJ Redick. He reportedly took the blame for the team’s first loss of the season, at Phoenix on Monday. That one went down to the wire, and Redick suggested a few different moves by him could’ve meant an even stronger start to the season. Nonetheless, the players seem to appreciate his passion.
“He let out a nice little F word, which just shows how much he cares,” guard Austin Reaves said of Redick’s post-game demeanor. “His passion is on another level. You can tell every single second of every day that he’s locked into the betterment of our group.”
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