LeBron James offers blunt assessment of Lakers after loss to Thunder: 'That's a championship team, we're not'
LeBron felt Monday's loss to OKC pointed out what separates the two teams as contenders
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2 min read
The Los Angeles Lakers fell to 32-20 on Monday night with a 119-110 loss at home to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a game where both teams were down a star.
The Thunder are navigating life without MVP favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after suffering an abdominal strain, while Luka Dončić is currently out for the Lakers due to a mild hamstring strain. Without Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder's depth takes center stage. OKC was led by their bench unit for much of Monday, with Alex Caruso, Isaiah Joe and Jaylin Williams combining for 47 points, before Jalen Williams took over down the stretch to close things out on a 21-11 run after the Lakers took a one-point lead midway through the fourth.
Afterwards, LeBron James bluntly explained that Monday's loss to OKC was Exhibit A of why the Lakers aren't a legitimate contender to win a title and the Thunder are.
"You want me to compare us to them? That's a championship team right there. We're not," James told reporters. "We can't sustain energy and effort for 48 minutes, and they can. That's why they won a championship."
It's not the first time James has voiced his frustration with this team and falls in line with his agent Rich Paul's comments earlier this year that the Lakers aren't a title contender as constructed. The Lakers had a quiet trade deadline and didn't address their biggest areas of need -- most notably their center rotation that has been a problem for years, even prior to trading away Anthony Davis.
Without reinforcements, it's clear LeBron's views on this team's ceiling haven't changed, and while they are currently fifth in the West and could win a first round series given their talent (when healthy), there's not a lot of optimism in L.A. that a deep playoff run is on the horizon.
For James, it seems almost assured that this is his final season with the Lakers after the two sides failed to reach an agreement on an extension last summer. If the 41-year-old opts to come back for a 24th NBA season, it'll likely be somewhere else -- with another return to Cleveland possible. James undoubtedly wanted one last run with the Lakers at a second title in L.A., and while he should get a chance with a postseason berth, he certainly doesn't seem particularly confident this group will provide him with a real opportunity once they get there.
