A lot of things changed for the Los Angeles Lakers during the offseason, but the franchise still can’t find a way to win basketball games. The Lakers suffered a 106-104 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night and are now 0-3 to start the 2022-23 NBA season.
Compared to their previous two losses, against the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers, the Lakers actually had a shot at winning against the Trail Blazers. A strong third quarter gave them a five-point lead to enter the final period, and all the LA team had to do was hold up.
Unfortunately for the Lakers, their defense, despite all the offseason talk about improvement, was still sub-par when it mattered the most. On the offensive end, the Lakers were even worse and were 3-for-9 in the final minutes of the game. They also missed all four of their three-point attempts.
Speaking after the game, Lakers superstar LeBron James, who finished the game with 31 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists, told reporters that the mood among the Lakers’ players at the moment is far from good.
“If you’re around a group of guys that are excited after a loss, then that’s the worst business that you can be in. So that’s the mood right now,” said James. “But I’ll leave my frustration and what I have here. Once I drive out of the tunnel, I’m going to leave it here.”
Things are not getting easier for the Lakers moving forward, as they are heading on a two-game road trip that will see them play the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
