“LeBron James and Lakers’ Struggles Continue: What’s Next for the Championship Winning Team?”

LeBron James and the Lakers fell to 1-4 after winning the playoffs and losing to the Bulls. Dan Woike Los Angeles Times Updated December 20, 2023 at 10:56 p.m CHICAGO – As the Bulls plowed through the Lakers’ defense in Chicago, the image of a player sitting on the bench in street clothes was the biggest concern. It can’t be overlooked that the Bulls’ last rotation was when Zach LaVine was out with a foot injury. Ironically, it was enough to overshadow LaVine’s performance for the Lakers, who lost 124-108 to the Bulls. On Wednesday, the Lakers’ intentions were unclear beyond speculation, meaning the star player would be an easy matchup with LeBron James and Anthony Davis for a team that has drafted big names. LaVine’s contract, which has four years and $176 million remaining, and past injury concerns have cooled his market and led to one of the most uncertain periods of his career. But if the Lakers are in the same building on Tuesday, it’s a fair question to ask ‘how?’ Especially with a group that has been in a post-Vegas hangover for a long time. The Lakers have lost four of five games, three in a row, since winning the regular season. The weather continues in Minnesota on Thursday. Against the Bulls, the Lakers scored well with James (25 points), Austin Reaves (21 points) and Taurean Prince (16 points), as well as Anthony Davis (19 and 14 rebounds) and Cam Reddish (13 rebounds). But in a game in which it was clear that Chicago had to win, the Lakers had no choice but to threaten in the interim. The Bulls made six more 3-pointers on three fewer attempts. Eight players scored in double figures, led by DeMar DeRozan. Alex Caruso had 15 points and 6 rebounds and was one of the biggest assets when the Bulls decided to trade him. And supporting players like D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura couldn’t help either side. The two combined to make just three shots on 15 attempts. For Russell, it was the first time since 2017 that he scored 2 points or less while playing 20 minutes. On Wednesday, it wasn’t just the problems with the offense. The Lakers once again failed to capture the momentum or energy that kept them alive in the tournament. It appears to be paying off as they navigate a long schedule that will see them play four of their final six games this month. © 2023 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.This story was originally published on December 20, 2023 at 10:46 pm.