LeBron James Urges Lakers to Tighten Defense After Lopsided Defeat in Phoenix
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PHOENIX — The Los Angeles Lakers surrendered a season-high 59% shooting and fell, 123-99, to the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 23 at Mortgage Matchup Center, prompting LeBron James to question the club’s collective effort on defense.
“It has to be five guys on a string,” James told Spectrum SportsNet postgame. “It’s the fast-break points, the second-chance points, the open threes that we don’t want to give up.”
Despite 24 points from James and the return of guard Austin Reaves, the Lakers allowed the Suns to connect on 41% of their three-point attempts and committed 17 turnovers that led to easy transition opportunities. Phoenix also grabbed 12 offensive rebounds, further stretching the margin.
Devin Booker, reserve guard Jamaree Bouyea and Dillon Brooks combined to hit several contested mid-range jumpers—shots James said the Lakers can tolerate—but the additional mistakes proved decisive. “They played exceptionally well, so you give them kudos,” he added.
Energy gap against faster opponents
Los Angeles has struggled this season against younger, up-tempo teams such as the Suns, San Antonio Spurs and Atlanta Hawks. James acknowledged the Lakers have matched that pace at times but not consistently.
“Personnel dictates how you can play,” he said. “We’ve had good times and bad times matching energy, and sometimes you still come up short even when you play extremely hard.” He cited a recent narrow loss to the Los Angeles Clippers as an example.
Limited athleticism raises stakes
The Lakers rely heavily on the skill of top scorers Luka Doncic and Reaves, while James, 40, can summon elite athletic bursts only intermittently. Role players Rui Hachimura, Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart are also more known for fundamentals than explosiveness, leaving the team with little margin for error when effort wanes.
Smart, a former Defensive Player of the Year, was blunt afterward, saying the roster must resolve its defensive lapses quickly “before it’s too late.”
The Lakers return to action later this week seeking answers for a defense that currently ranks near the bottom of the league in multiple categories.
Source: Lakers Nation
