Lakers star LeBron James drives to the basket previous 76ers level guard Tyrese Maxey, left, and middle Montrezl Harrell, proper, in the course of the first half of the Lakers’ 113-112 loss Sunday at Crypto.com Arena. James completed with 35 factors. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
LeBron James set a halfhearted display screen on the left elbow earlier than popping to the highest of the important thing the place Russell Westbrook discovered him with a cross. James caught it and squared up with out hesitation, effortlessly flipping the ball towards the ring in the course of the first quarter Sunday evening in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers.
As it handed via the web, James grew to become the second participant in NBA historical past to attain 38,000 profession factors. The participant he’s chasing, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, is the opposite member of the membership.
After the following timeout, when James’ milestone basket was proven on the Crypto.com Arena scoreboard, public deal with announcer Lawrence Tanter known as it one other nice second in Lakers historical past.
But these moments in James’ tenure with the Lakers hardly have been nice so far as staff success is anxious. When he handed Michael Jordan on the all-time scoring checklist in Los Angeles, the Lakers misplaced. When he moved previous Kobe Bryant, the staff misplaced in Philadelphia, and when he grew to become the second all-time main scorer in Washington, that additionally got here in a loss.
And by the point the horn sounded and 76ers star Joel Embiid fired the ball into the air, factors 38,000 and 38,001 couldn’t actually be celebrated, one other loss marring one in all James’ milestone achievements.
Westbrook’s potential profitable drive didn’t join, the Lakers dropping one other heartbreaker to Philadelphia, 113-112.
“It sucks to lose a detailed sport like this,” coach Darvin Ham stated.
Afterward, Westbrook stated Embiid grabbed his wrist, stopping him from cleanly trying a shot.
Lakers level guard Russell Westbrook drives round 76ers guard Matisse Thybulle within the first quarter Sunday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“I couldn’t get the ball up,” Westbrook stated.
James was terrific all sport, a 360-degree spinning layup within the second half one more reminder that he’s getting old in a approach few have in any sport.
“I assumed Bron was phenomenal,” Ham stated.
But James didn’t contact the ball on the final possession.
He scored 35 factors to go together with 10 assists and eight rebounds. And Westbrook had 20 factors, 14 rebounds and 11 assists — his fourth triple-double this season since transferring to the bench and most for an NBA reserve.
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But for all of the battle and excellence from the highest of the Lakers’ roster, they left the court docket losers for the third straight time, Embiid’s silky midrange sport within the fourth quarter the distinction.
Lakers star LeBron James drives to the basket between 76ers guard James Harden, left, and middle Joel Embiid in the course of the first quarter Sunday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A Troy Brown Jr. three-pointer and a Lakers cease gave them an opportunity to win, however Ham didn’t name outing as Westbrook moved the ball up the left wing. With Embiid guarding him, Westbrook fumbled the ball earlier than driving to the rim and ending the sport sitting beneath the basket in frustration.
Ham stated he didn’t take into account calling timeout, saying the ball was within the arms of one of many staff’s finest playmakers.
“We simply acquired to be higher, acquired to be higher ending the sport,” Ham stated.
Embiid completed with 35 factors and 11 rebounds and James Harden scored 24 with 13 assists.
As James will get nearer to breaking Abdul-Jabbar’s file, his honesty in regards to the Lakers’ dropping additionally has develop into extra apparent.
The muted solutions, the delicate digs — they’ve given strategy to flat-out truths like “taking part in basketball at this degree simply to be taking part in basketball just isn’t in my DNA. It’s not in my DNA anymore,” which he stated final month in Miami.
The Lakers, although, aren’t precisely taking part in “dropping basketball” regardless of their latest losses. They fell to Dallas in double additional time after questionable non-calls on the finish of regulation and the primary additional time.
And Sunday evening in opposition to the 76ers, the staff actually had possibilities, together with one with the sport on the road.
Afterward, Ham reiterated his confidence in Westbrook in that state of affairs, down one with the ball and a middle in entrance of him — the identical approach the coach could be snug with James in that state of affairs.
After the sport, Westbrook stated a his expertise within the league has taught him that one empty possession — on this case the ultimate one — counts as a lot as one at another time.
“I do know the sport didn’t come all the way down to the final shot,” he stated.
The different issues — poor three-point taking pictures, a depleted rotation, Embiid’s dominance and Harden’s mastery — mattered too. So did the Lakers’ play, which nonetheless has Westbrook and his teammates satisfied they’re a great staff.
The standings, although, might want to say the identical before later.
“We’re taking part in good basketball,” James stated. “We’re simply not profitable video games.”
This story initially appeared in Los Angeles Times.
