The Lakers weren’t able to secure the W on LeBron James’ big 40,000-point night, and Stephen A. Smith thinks the franchise has a bad habit of losing games that should mean something.
LeBron became the first player in NBA history to reach 40,000 career points, but LA fell short against Denver on Saturday night, going down 124-114 on a momentous occasion for James.
“Opening Night, the Lakers open the season, they lose to the Nuggets,” Smith said on ESPN. “The night that Kobe’s statue is revealed, they lose that night. Tonight, LeBron James surpasses 40,000 points, the only player in NBA history to ever do it. They lose that game. It seems like in the big moments, the Lakers don’t measure up.”
Smith then took aim at big man Anthony Davis, who was outplayed by fellow big man Nikola Jokic during the game.
Jokic 35 points, ten rebounds and seven assists in the contest, while Davis scored 17 points, 11 rebounds and two assists and Smith wasn’t impressed at all with AD’s performance.
“I said ‘You ain’t gonna stop Jokić,’ which didn’t happen,” Smith said. “But what you have to do if you’re Anthony Davis is nullify what he gives you by making sure you give the same.’ You can’t have Nikola Jokić dropping 35 and answering with 17. You just can’t do it.
“If you are the Los Angeles Lakers and you’ve got championship aspirations, the big boy, who is an All-Star and a superstar talent in this game has to show up and give me a little bit extra, when that other superstar — who is the reigning, defending NBA champion — when that brother shows up. I didn’t see that tonight. And I don’t like it.”
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