LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers continued their excellent run with a 127-113 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday. Fueled by Luka Dončić’s 40-burger, the side improved to 50-26 and tightened its hold as the third seed in the West.
Despite James’ all-around outing, there was criticism coming his way with analyst Skip Bayless lambasting the four-time NBA champion for his contribution on offense.
Skip Bayless Slams LeBron James’ Contract After Lack of Shotmaking Against Cavaliers
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Bayless called out James for not doing enough on offense while the backcourt duo of Dončić and Reaves. “Just saw the list in which LeBron is leading the NBA in underperforming his contract,” he wrote. “Duh. He’s making 52.6 mil to often stand in the corner and watch Luka and AR create shots.”
Bayless’ take comes after James attempted just eight shots from the field and three from the 3-point line. He made four, and one of those attempts, along with 5-of-6 from the free throw line, to finish with five rebounds or six assists.
For context, Dončić shot 13-of-26 from the field, 6-of-13 from deep, and 10-of-10 from the charity stripe to finish with a team-high 42 points. Reaves was 6-of-16 from the field, 2-of-9 from the three, and 5-of-5 from the free throw line to chip in 19 points. Bayless complained that James was not focusing on taking the additional shots while the two guards kept the offense churning.
Despite the criticism, it is worth noting that the 41-year-old has played the role of a point forward this season and has been playing the third-scoring option on the team. While Bayless may have his opinion, the Lakers have benefited from James playing his role to perfection.
On the game front, it was the 50th win for the Lakers this season, and it came against a quality Cavaliers side. With a playoff berth sealed, the Purple and Gold will now focus on finetuning their strategy ahead of the playoffs.
Speaking to the media after the win, James believed that the postseason came with its own challenges. “The chemistry is high, everyone loves being around each other,” James said, per The Athletic. “We love playing for one another, we love being on the floor with one another. It’s a good, tight-knit group. The postseason is its own season. Gotta carry that into then, too.”
Up next, the Lakers take on the top-seeded OKC Thunder in an away fixture, followed by the Dallas Mavericks. They return home and host the Thunder again, before finishing their season after skirmishes against the Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns, and the Utah Jazz.
