The Los Angeles Lakers noticed their playoff momentum stall in a heavy Sport 4 loss, and LeBron James didn’t shrink back from the place issues went flawed.
Regardless of staying inside attain early, L.A.’s evening rapidly unraveled attributable to one main concern – turnovers.
“We did a very good job within the second quarter and type of reducing into the lead. After which we had just a few turnovers which was our kryptonite tonight,” James mentioned postgame. “Clearly we all know that coming into the collection we’ve to guard the ball versus them and never have too many pick-sixes.
“Which we did all evening. It began with, clearly, my turnovers are unacceptable. However we’ll do a greater job with that Wednesday. We perceive that offensive rebounds for them and pick-sixes will not be gonna be good for our ballclub. You give them credit score the place credit score is due. They received tonight.”
The Lakers coughed the ball up 23 occasions as a group, with James answerable for eight of these – his highest complete of the postseason.
Whereas a few of that will have come from his heavy workload after logging massive minutes in Sport 3, the general sloppiness proved an excessive amount of to beat.
James made it clear the defensive effort wasn’t the problem, it was the whole lot taking place on the opposite finish of the ground.
“Protection wasn’t our downside tonight. It was the offense. We turned the ball over 24 occasions for 30 factors. Protection wasn’t our downside. It was offense,” James mentioned.
“We knew and we perceive that if we need to win this collection then we’ve to guard the ball and we’ve to defensive rebound and clearly carry that toughness, which we did tonight. I’m not apprehensive about that. However the turnovers clearly killed us from begin to end.”
Frustrations additionally spilled over late within the third quarter when Deandre Ayton was ejected following a flagrant foul, a choice that didn’t sit properly with the Lakers’ veteran chief.
“That was ridiculous,” James mentioned.
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