Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James. Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

LeBron James questions Lakers' 'energy and effort' after latest loss

By Adam Taylor | Last updated Nov 7, 2024 4:09 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers have lost four of their last five games. JJ Redick's team is now 4-4 on the season, and its hot start is quickly becoming a distant memory. On Wednesday, the Purple and Gold were outclassed by the Memphis Grizzlies, losing 131-114.

In fairness, the Lakers were missing Anthony Davis, who has been the franchise's best player to begin the season. However, LeBron James clearly doesn't see Davis' absence as an excuse for the team's commitment and effort levels to drop.

When speaking to the media as part of his postgame news conference, James called out his teammates, noting that their inconsistent effort levels throughout the game likely cost them.

“At the end of the day, especially when you lose bodies, you got to compete. You got to compete even harder,” James said. “You got to be out there giving it everything that you got and on both ends. I think there were times that we did that, but the majority of the time, I don’t think we sustained energy and effort.”

LeBron James (39 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists) discussed JJ's praise for his effort, the team struggling with shooting, and focusing more on the defensive end. pic.twitter.com/uT6ai8FgRJ
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) November 7, 2024

Without Davis on the floor, the Lakers' weaknesses are getting exposed. They rode their two superstars' coattails to begin the season, and now that Davis is dealing with an injury, their limited depth is becoming increasingly apparent.

This is who the Lakers are right now: a talented team that remains a work in progress. They've been an inconsistent unit for the past two years. Expecting rapid changes based on a head-coaching change is unfair. Redick was hired to build a project. He was never expected to turn the franchise around in the first two or three weeks of the season.

Still, when you have James and Davis on your roster, there are a certain level of expectations. Some of those expectations are external, while a lot of them come from within. James demands effort and commitment from those around him. Therefore, he was right to voice his frustration after their latest loss.

After all, if James can give 110% at the ripe old age of 39, what excuse does the rest of the roster have?

The Lakers will undoubtedly navigate their current blip. They will bounce back and have some good runs and some more difficult stretches. There's no questioning that they're capable of being a playoff team. But maybe the hype they received to begin the season came too soon, and now, they must face the reality of where they are as a unit, which is good but not quite good enough.

Adam Taylor

Adam Taylor is a sports journalist based out of the UK. Adam has been covering the NBA for nearly a decade with a core focus on the Boston Celtics. He currently holds bylines with Yardbarker, SB Nation and USA Today

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