The Los Angeles Lakers hung tough with the Phoenix Suns for one half during the NBA’s Tuesday night slate before having their doors blown off in the second half. Los Angeles built an early 10-point lead, but by halftime, they were trailing and the Suns carried that momentum into the second half.
Phoenix led by as many as 22 points in the fourth quarter, putting away a very short-handed Los Angeles Lakers team.
LeBron James did everything he could to keep his team in the game, scoring a game-high 34 points in 34 minutes. He added seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals as well.
The game against Phoenix was the eighth time in his last 12 games that James reached the 30-point plateau. Los Angeles is 5-3 in those games but has lost the last two to the Suns and Chicago Bulls.
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Following Tuesday night’s game, LeBron James admitted that he is unsure of what this team is capable of even being 32 games into the regular season.
“We don’t know,” James said. “We have no idea what this team can be.”
A big reason for that is the team has not been whole yet once this season. The game against the Suns was the 17th different starting lineup this season for the Los Angeles Lakers, which is the most in the NBA. That means the Lakers have essentially alternated starting lineups every other game all season.
Los Angeles has been one of the teams hit hard by players entering the league’s health and safety protocols. Dwight Howard, Malik Monk, Avery Bradley, Talen Horton-Tucker, Austin Reaves, and Kent Bazemore have spent time in protocols. Horton-Tucker did return for Tuesday’s game but struggled mightily shooting 1-of-13.
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Isaiah Thomas, who was signed after one game in the G League Showcase, not only is receiving rotation minutes but has started because of how short-handed they are. Head coach Frank Vogel is also in protocols, which has put David Fizdale in charge of leading the team for the time being.
“So how can we really fully assess what we have when we haven’t been whole? I can’t remember the last time we played the same starting lineup and had the same rotation coming off the bench,” James said. “It’s been a long time. So, it’s hard to assess that.”
In addition to the COVID-19 issues, injuries have been persistent as well. LeBron James himself has been sidelined with an injury twice. Kendrick Nunn has yet to play this season, while Trevor Ariza made his season debut over the weekend against the Chicago Bulls.
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The biggest blow of them all is Anthony Davis, who suffered a knee sprain in the game last week against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He avoided major injury but will be sidelined for at least four weeks before being re-evaluated.
