The Los Angeles Lakers narrowly escaped another loss against the Indiana Pacers on March 26, thanks to a last-second tip-in by LeBron James.
The win ended their three-game losing streak, but the Chicago Bulls defeated the Lakers in a dramatic finish with a game-winning buzzer beater by Josh Giddey from half-court the next day. What led to the loss, however, was a sequence of events rarely seen in the NBA.
NBA Analyst Shocked by LeBron James’ Mental Lapses in Bulls Loss
The Lakers were up 115-110 with 12 seconds remaining but ultimately lost 119-117. Outscoring your opponent 9-2 in the final 12 seconds of a game doesn’t happen often, but that’s exactly what made the conclusion so intense.
While speaking on ESPN’s “Get Up,” NBA analyst Tim MacMahon was candid about his reaction to the game’s final moments, particularly highlighting James’ lack of awareness and defense as the Bulls quickly mounted a comeback.
“It was shocking to see a basketball genius make just brain-dead plays down the stretch. The defensive blunder, and as he said, a horrible turnover, it was an inexcusable turnover,” MacMahon said.
"To see LeBron make those kinds of plays with the game on the line is shocking." 😳
—@espn_macmahon on the final seconds of the Lakers' 119-117 loss to the Bulls. pic.twitter.com/WqjD8dJms9
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN)
“Give Josh Giddey credit — he’s making plays all over the place, playing the best basketball of his career, the shot of his life — but again, to see LeBron make those kinds of plays with the game on the line is shocking. I don’t think you will see those clips on his ‘Mind the Game‘ podcast debut with Steve Nash coming up.”
Are the Los Angeles Lakers in Trouble?
While the loss to the Bulls was devastating for the Lakers, it opened the floor for more discussion on their recent play. James returned to the lineup against the Bulls on March 22, but the Lakers are 1-3 since then.
Their second-half execution against the Bulls in both contests, as well as against the Orlando Magic on March 24, has not been great, as both James and teammate Luka Dončić have neglected the defensive side of the game during this recent skid.
READ MORE: ‘Sold the Game’ – LeBron James Gets Ripped Apart by Fans After Lakers’ Embarrassing Loss vs. Bulls
The game against the Magic featured one of the worst fourth-quarter performances by the Lakers, where James and Dončić both appeared out of sync defensively. The same could be said for the final 12 seconds against the Bulls.
The Lakers were one missed tip-in away from being 0-4 since James returned, and there are some that believe he’s currently still battling his groin injury. If James is not 100% and the Lakers continue to struggle, could there be trouble ahead?
