Lakers struggle in blunder loss to Hornets.
LOS ANGELES — The Lakers collapsed, climbed back, then collapsed again in a second-half blunder loss to the Hornets, showing inconsistencies on the defensive end throughout the second half, losing to Charlotte 134–130 in their third straight loss to drop their season record to 13–19.
“At the end of the day, this one pisses me off because, as a staff, we’re constantly talking about self-inflicted wounds. We have to do a much better job of maintaining competitiveness,” said head coach Darvin Ham.
The Lakers rallied from a 16-point deficit to tie the game with less than a minute remaining, stealing the ball with a chance to take the lead on a four-on-one fastbreak before turning the ball over for their third straight loss.
Who would have guessed that the Lakers would lose their last two games despite shooting better from three than their opponents after struggling to shoot from three at the beginning of the season.
Vs. Charlotte: 43% to the Hornets' 39% (Loss)
Vs. Sacramento: 46% to the Kings' 36% (Loss)
LeBron capped off his sixth straight game by scoring 30 points, wasting another big game from LeBron that resulted in a Lakers loss.
"We don't have a lot of room for error,” said LeBron of the Lakers’ turnovers and defense against the Hornets.
LeBron finished with a game-high 34 points on 4-for-8 shooting from three and 15-for-23 (65%) overall, notching 8 assists, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal in 33 minutes.
Austin Reaves provided a missed production from the sophomore guard in his first game back from a two-game absence, scoring the second most points for the Lakers.
“When things are going bad, we have to find a way to stop the bleeding,” said Austin Reaves.
Reaves finished with 20 points on 60% (6-for-10) shooting from the floor and 50% (3-for-6) from behind the arc, continuing his efficient shot-making on a roster desperate for some playmakers.
The Lakers were happy to welcome back Russell Westbrook to the lineup after a two-game absence with left foot soreness, giving Los Angeles the bench spark they've lacked.
Westbrook finished with 17 points on 2-for-4 shooting from behind the arc and 6-for-12 shooting overall, adding 7 assists and 5 rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench.
The Lakers will begin their five-game road trip this Sunday, on Christmas Day, against the 17–16 Dallas Mavericks at 11:30 P.M. on ABC and ESPN.
