LeBron James sends clear message after Lakers loss

The Los Angeles Lakers fell 103–88 to the Clippers on Saturday night at the Intuit Dome and were unable to mount a comeback despite a huge performance from LeBron James, who finished with 36 points.The Purple and Gold were without Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton and Gabe Vincentfor the first meeting of the season against the Clippers, while Luka Dončić left the game after suffering a bruised left leg, limiting him to just 20 minutes.

With so many absences, James assumed full leadership responsibility against the Clippers, although his effort ultimately was not enough. After the game, the future Hall of Famer stressed that the team must be ready to face the challenge of competing without key pieces over the course of a very long season, one in which the Lakers aim to contend for a championship.

LeBron James’ message to his teammates

“Regardless of the circumstances, it’s always the next man in the rotation who has to step up,” James said in his postgame comments to Spectrum SportsNet. “We’re all professionals and we have to be ready. Obviously, tonight was a very tough situation for our team, but at the end of the day we played with a lot of intensity and stuck to our principles. We just came up short.”

He added: “We didn’t make shots. That happens over the course of a season. We got really good looks, but they didn’t go in. Even so, we gave ourselves a chance to compete because of how we defended, our competitive spirit, our mentality and the way we played with consistent effort.”

Some players could return for the Lakers’ next game against the Phoenix Suns on December 23 at PHX Arena, and it remains unclear how long Dončić will be sidelined. In the meantime, James emphasized the need for the available players to step up in the face of injuries and continue to follow his lead on the floor.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.