Is Father Time Finally Catching Up to LeBron James After His Biggest Embarrassing Loss vs 76ers?

Philadelphia fans relished Monday night. Their basketball team, the 76ers throbbed the Los Angeles Lakers at the Wells Fargo Center. It wasn’t just a loss for the Lake Show, but an ego-destroying beatdown. Joel Embiid’s monster night left Anthony Davis as a target for the enraged Laker Nation. On the other hand, the monstrous loss saw a rather contained version of LeBron James.

He was indeed the highest-scoring Laker on the night with 18 points. However, he repeated an unwanted stat line after 1097 games. The 6’8″ freight train went the entire game without grabbing a single board. Blame it on his aging body or just a lack of vigor, it was an embarrassing outing for the LA side. Somber infected their locker room post-game as the King sat on his seat, gassed and defeated.

It’s rare to see LBJ be so helpless. It was the biggest loss of his entire career, that speaks on the rarity of such an incident. This begs the notion, has Father Time found its opening?

Philadelphia 76ers rain down threes to bury the Lakers

A 6-1 start to the first quarter was the only worthwhile highlight for the Purple and Gold. Embiid and his men quickly caught up to the pace of the ball game and began firing back. What the Lakers didn’t realize is that Philly wouldn’t lose their shooting touch for the entire night. As one three fell, the other soon followed. They drained a season-high 22 threes in their 94-138 win over the Lakers. That’s the reason the disparity only kept increasing. LeBron James knew it too.

“We got killed on the 3-point line today,” he said after the game according to The Athletic.

The Sixers shot 47% from beyond the arc, 10% more than their season average. On the other hand, the Lakers’ spacing woes continued to wound them. Taurean Prince was the lone Laker who managed to hit over one three in the contest. In contrast, six Sixers hit more than two. In terms of the overall offense, the Lakers hung equal shooting 47% from the field as opposed to the Sixers’ 50%. But threes are always greater than twos, and tonight, Philly found their range.

The anchor of it all as usual was Joel Embiid. The reigning MVP secured his sixth career triple-double. He reached the mark within three-quarters. His matchup against Anthony Davis seemed to elevate his skill even further. He finished the night with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists.

Then there was Tyrese Maxey, the biggest gainer from the James Harden saga. His usage rate has grown significantly and the 22-year-old has assumed the role of being the primary ball handler. Without the Beard, Maxey is thriving in his freedom. He is taking shots, and more importantly, making them at remarkable efficiency. He too tallied 31 points to sink the Lakers. Head Coach Darwin Ham immediately recognized the spark within the dynamic guard, even comparing him to the supercar Lamborgini.

“Trying to contain Maxey is like trying to contain a Lamborghini,” said Ham.

Lakers acknowledge the humiliating beatdown

Every loss is a learning opportunity they say. Yet some losses sting and stay with you for a very long time. Such was the atmosphere in the Laker locker room after their embarrassing mauling. No one was cheery. In fact, the star players set an example by taking accountability for the loss. Reaves was candid when speaking of their performance.

“They beat the s— out of us,” said the Lakers’ sixth man.

There was also a seldom seriousness in LeBron James’ demeanor who generally doesn’t shake from a regular season loss. He made some stark claims in reaction to his biggest loss. “A lot” needs to change for the Lakers was his plea. He didn’t expand any further, but the Akron Hammer just knows something isn’t right.

Well, the very obvious and noticeable reason is the Lakers’ struggle to find their identity. Even after losing Harden, the Sixers adjusted and have now discovered a system that might be even more lethal. Existing faces raised the bar and other role players gradually immersed themselves in the process. Unfortunately for the Lakers, their injury list has kept them from doing so. The absence of Gabe Vincent, Jared Vanderbilt, and Cam Reddish leaves the Lakers with almost no spacing and a sub-par defensive unit.

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This group needs to spend time together on the floor if there are ever hopes of competing. So far, the Lakers’ record isn’t a true indication of their superiority at all. They are barely swaying in the play-in territory if this is the level of play that unfolds for the remainder of the season.

Now coming on to the burning query – LeBron James. Was this off night and distressing loss an indicator of him slowing down?

LeBron James might be the best player for the Lakers

The King is pushing 39. Even then, he can easily be regarded as one of the best players in the league. He is surely the best player on the Lakers with Anthony Davis struggling to take over the reigns. This was supposedly the season offensive responsibilities were to be ceded to the 30-year-old forward. However, it is still the same old story, LeBron James is finding a way to stay impactful in more ways than one.

If we look at particular metrics, James’ usage rate is slightly down from last season. Moreover, he isn’t the one with the ball in hand, that onus is now on D’Angelo Russell. The Lakers have tried to utilize the 38-year-old in a different old, one that amplifies his abilities at this stage of his career. Not only have they done that successfully, but James has found a new switch in Year 21.

He is having one of his best shooting seasons. Playing more off the ball, James’ intellect allows him to read defense while sitting in the pocket. From there it’s either a cut, a screen, or just a simple move to get the opposition to react. At first, he had to worry about the ball. Now, James is free to play mind games without much at stake. That’s the Lakers’ championship leverage, James’ new role as an opportunistic scorer.

He was supposed to be on a minutes restriction in the season. But the team struggles without him on the floor forcing Ham to play him large stretches in a game. Despite the heavy workload, James is unflappable, flourishing in this new prototype of himself. Father time is always lurking around the corner. Maybe this is what James looks like in Father Time. For others, it was them slowing down, not being as energetic, and barely able to keep pace. But James is a specimen unlike any other. His discipline and immaculate conditioning make Father Time look like his fourth prime.

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Do you think James is fazed by his age at all? Let us know what you think in the comments below.