NBA News With The Lakers

LeBron James’ legacy seems to be at stake with every dribble, and he is taking the Los Angeles Lakers’ failings personally.

The Lakers are 0-2 on their road trip and 29-31 this season. They’ve lost seven of their last 10 and are tied for 10th place in the NBA’s Western Conference standings, three games shy of a spot in the top eight that qualify for the playoffs.

Legacy shouldn’t be an issue for James. He won championships twice with the Miami Heat and once with the Cleveland Cavaliers and, after posting 11 assists in Monday night’s loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, has become the only player in NBA history to rank in the top 10 in both assists and points.

Not that it seems to be helping the Lakers. They lost to the New Orleans Pelicans (who were without Anthony Davis) and the Grizzlies, neither of which will make the playoffs.

The question after the 110-105 loss to the Grizzlies was simple: Is the pressure to make the playoffs too much of a distraction for a team that has struggled through suspensions, injuries and concerns that coach Luke Walton might not be the right person for the job?

“At this point if you are still allowing distractions to affect how the way you play, then this is the wrong franchise to be a part of,” James said.

Well, it’s a little late to tinker with the roster. And the optimism after this loss that the Lakers were now starting to play harder seems a little like false bravado.

“I felt like if we play like we did tonight, then we got to continue that consistent effort, that will get us over the hump as we make this push,” James said.

Consistent effort? The Lakers fell behind late in the first quarter and never led again. They trailed by as many as 11 in the fourth quarter.

The only thing consistent about the Lakers? Inconsistency.

 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman