Getty Images LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
LeBron James was suspiciously absent from his media availability following the Los Angeles Lakers‘ largest loss of the season against the Denver Nuggets but emerged Sunday with a tweet addressing his team’s struggles.
The Lakers were blown out by the Nuggets 133-96, which was the worst loss for James personally since February of 2019. He’s the unquestioned leader of the squad, so his silence after the loss spoke volumes. It was just the second time this season he chose not to speak after a game.
James felt like he needed to say something and took to social media to deliver the message.
“Laker Nation. I apologize and I promise we’ll be better!” James tweeted.
#LakerNation I apologize and I promise we’ll be better! 👑💜💛
The Lakers fell to 21-22 after their latest disaster, sinking to below .500. The Lakers are currently the No. 7 seed and the Western Conference is still somewhat of a log jam. A small winning streak could propel the Lakers all the way up to No. 5.
Magic Johnson’s Tweet Called Out Lakers
What might have spurred a message from James was a tweet from Lakers legend Magic Johnson following the loss. The usually optimistic Hall of Famer did not hold back with his message on the team’s struggles.
“We as Lakers fans can accept being outplayed but we deserve more than a lack of effort and no sense of urgency,” Johnson tweeted. “Owner Jeanie Buss, you deserve better.”
After being blown out by the Nuggets 133-96, we as @Lakers fans can accept being outplayed but we deserve more than a lack of effort and no sense of urgency. Owner @JeanieBuss, you deserve better.
Lakers star Russell Westbrook did speak to the media following Saturday’s loss and addressed Johnson’s message.
“I do not have a reaction,” Westbrook told reporters. “Everybody is entitled, in this world, to their opinion. Regardless of what that it is. You can either take it and run with it or you can take it and put it in one ear and out the other or you cannot respond to it.
“Magic’s entitled to his opinion. And he’s not here every day. He’s not around us every day. He’s not aware of what’s going on internally with us and trying to figure things out. But I have no response to that. … Like I said, everyone in this world is entitled to their opinion and that’s that.”
James Called Out by Kwame Browns for Checking Stats
The Lakers struggles have brought out the critics and someone who has not been shy to call out James is flamed out former No. 1 pick Kwame Brown. James was caught checking the stat sheet in a game earlier this month, which didn’t sit well with Brown.
“When I saw brother LeBron watching the stat sheet, that told me all I needed to know on why the Lakers are losing,” Brown said. “That told me all I needed to know why that team is not connected on defense.
“What is that stat sheet teaching you? It’s not teaching you anything. I used to make sure if we lost a game, I wouldn’t let nobody on our bus touch a stat sheet. We lost. What the f— are we looking at the stats for?”
James is an easy target when the Lakers are losing, but he’ll have to bounce back with his team as they take on the Jazz on Monday.
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LeBron James Breaks Silence on Lakers Struggles With Tweet