LeBron James and the LA Lakers fell to a 0-2 hole in the Western Conference semifinals after dropping Game 2 against the OKC Thunder on Thursday night, 125-107.
James, the oldest active NBA player at 41 years old, put up 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the field, along with six assists and three steals in the Game 2 loss.
However, his performance was unsatisfactory for his friend and NBA analyst Shannon Sharpe, who criticized James for playing with subpar aggression, resulting in the Lakers’ loss.
“He wasn’t aggressive at all. He was very content to just stand in the corner and then try to get that ball at the nail, and then try to do something. That’s not going to cut it,” Sharpe said in his Night Cap podcast shortly after Game 2.
“He wasn’t aggressive at all. He was very content to just stand in the corner and then try to get that ball at the nail and then try to do something. That’s not going to cut it. Guy stole the ball from that
Sharpe described James’ performance as “unacceptable” considering that his defenders, such as Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, and Cason Wallace, were all shorter than him.
“He let Lu Dort come over the top. That’s unacceptable. And the little flurry that he had in the 4th quarter, that’s not enough. We need that assertiveness in the third quarter when Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander] goes out,” Sharpe said as Gilgeous-Alexander did not play much in the third period after picking up his fourth foul early.
Sharpe has been known to be one of James’ biggest supporters in the sports media landscape. Sharpe, a former NFL player, had also been seen supporting James in his games in LA.
The Lakers had a slim one-point lead at halftime before the Thunder outscored them 36-22 in the third period, led by Gilgeous-Alexander’s supporting cast, such as Chet Holmgren, Ajay Mitchell, and Jared McCain.
Holmgren finished with 22 points, Mitchell had 20, and McCain notched 18 points off the bench to carry the offensive cudgels for the Thunder as Gilgeous-Alexander was constantly double-teamed before putting up 22 markers.
Aside from James, Austin Reaves put the team on his shoulders in Game 2, tallying 31 points and six assists. It was a far cry from his Game 1 performance, where he shot 3-of-16 from the field to contribute only eight points.
Lakers Head Coach Blames Officiating in LeBron James’ Game 2 Performance
GettyJJ Redick airs frustrations about the lack of whistles on LeBron James.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick was fuming after Game 2 following what he deemed as poor officiating in the game. One of his main points was LeBron James’ lack of whistles, declaring him one of the most disrespected stars he has been in terms of getting calls.
“LeBron [James] has the worst whistle of any star player I’ve seen,” Redick told the media. “I’ve been with him two years now. I mean, the smaller guys, they can be theatric and they typically drew more fouls. For bigger players that are built like LeBron, it’s hard for them. They get clobbered. [Lebron] got clobbered again tonight a bunch.”
“That’s not a new thing. That’s not specific to this [officiating] crew. In this series, he gets fouled a lot. He gets hit in the head more than any player I’ve seen on drives, and rarely gets called.”
James had four free throws in the game. He also joined the endgame huddle with the officials and the Lakers players, all of whom expressed their dismay about the game.
LeBron James Hopes To Avoid 4th Playoff Sweep of His Career
GettyLeBron James hopes to avoid a sweep.
Games 3 and 4 will be pivotal for LeBron James and the Lakers as they look to extend their season.
For James, a win against the Thunder would avoid him the fourth playoff sweep of his career.
However, the Thunder has yet to lose a game this season, sweeping the Phoenix Suns in Round 1.
Game 3 will be on Saturday, May 9, in Los Angeles.
LeBron James Disappoints Close Friend in Lakers’ Game 2 Loss: ‘Unacceptable’