Through 19 seasons in the league, LeBron James has set a different standard for excellence -- a standard the Los Angeles Lakers have failed to live up to in 2021-22. The Lakers are one game below .500 past the halfway point of the season, sitting seventh in the Western Conference with a tenuous grip on a playoff spot.
Lakers' fans hope that Saturday night's 133-96 loss to the Denver Nuggets will serve as an inflection point, as LA was handed their worst loss of the season. King James apologized and promised Laker Nation to be better, an assurance that Lakers fans won't let him forget.
#LakerNation I apologize and I promise we?ll be better! ???
— LeBron James (@KingJames) January 17, 2022
James is putting up his best points per game average since the 2009-10 season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Overall, the 17-time All-Star leads the team in Win Shares, Box Plus/Minus, and Value Over Replacement Player, per Basketball-Reference.
Next up for the Lakers is a date with the Utah Jazz on Monday night, who will be playing their second game in as many nights. FanDuel Sportsbook has the Lakers lined as +4.5 underdogs as they take on one of the best teams in the league.
