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Los Angeles Lakers: 3 lessons from win vs Atlanta Hawks

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 11: Tyson Chandler #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates to a Laker's win with LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers after the game against the Atlanta Hawks on November 11, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 11: Tyson Chandler #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates to a Laker's win with LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers after the game against the Atlanta Hawks on November 11, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Lakers
Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

2. LeBron James is A Polarizing Figure!

I remember watching Stephen A. Smith on ESPN during the Finals last year criticizing LeBron James for his basketball play. Look LeBron James led the Lakers in scoring with 26 points, he grabbed seven rebounds and had four assists with two steals. Oh yeah and…

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1061845275441094661

But he is STILL not producing down the clutch here. This loss could have been a disaster here. Granted he missed shots down the stretch against the Spurs in the Staples Center and blew a free throw against the Mavs (Still don’t know what Wesley Matthews was thinking?) but this is different. Let LeBron James tell it…

https://twitter.com/LBJ23_Better/status/1061867288381587456

Before someone gives this “It’s still early argument” comment, let me get this out of the way. He’s not playing at full speed. He’s coasting. But here’s why it’s a problem…the young guys are going to pick up on these bad habits and do the same. Watch this play here…

Trae Young is being trapped by Tyson Chandler and Brandon Ingram here. Vince Carter, who is 456 years old (Just playing VinSanity! Love you Doc!), rolls to the basket. Omari Spellman is at the free throw line. LeBron James’ job is to protect the rim in Chandler’s absence.

Instead of staying in the paint LeBron James goes to cover the rookie fifteen feet from the basket, while Trae Young hits Carter with the pocket pass and Vince dunks the ball behind James.

Couple that with four turnovers that resulted in Hawks fast breaks, it allowed Atlanta to stay in the game.

Now if you are a Lakers fan, choices are going to have to be made, either you want James to play full speed and give full effort every night for the Lakers to really contend for a viable playoff spot or be happy with being entertained. I say this because dude will give you this…

and this…

But against the good teams of the NBA…will, this be enough? Think about it.

Oh, he’s not alone in this…

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