Despite having a few seconds left to tie the game against the Charlotte Hornets, something happened with LeBron James at the very last second that destroyed the Lakers’ chances. In those final moments, James’ sneakers went airborne as he headed toward the basket.?
This resulted in him passing the ball to Dennis Schroder, but he didn’t make the basket. As a result, the Los Angeles Lakers suffered their 19th loss of the season, leaving them in 13th place on the Western Conference table with a 13-19 record. This led to many reactions from fans online.
Having Anthony Davis out due to a stress injury in his right foot, it has been a rough road for the Lakers recently. The substitution that was made also didn’t benefit the team, as Thomas Bryant injured his right shoulder with only 16 seconds remaining. The Lakers lost the game with a final score of 134-130.
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LeBron James and co. face backlash online after loss to the Hornets
Following the game, fans had plenty to say about James’ shoe incident, with some even calling for LeBron James to “cancel his Nike deal”.?Some fans argued that Michael Jordan‘s shoes would never come off like that.?
Many others also?noted that seeing a superstar face such a problem during a game was painful to watch.
ALSO READ – LeBron James ?Staring Down? Hornets Owner Michael Jordan Forced Him into Big Public Clarification in 2014
Here are some of the reactions from NBA Twitter:?
SAYS ALOT! Real Laker Fans KNOW https://t.co/0nrjaeDmly
— Ivan (@dop3minnie) December 24, 2022
…get the man some reliable help! https://t.co/8zjAG9rh7w
— Geoffrey Kimani (@GeoffKimani) December 24, 2022
https://twitter.com/sea_nba/status/1606531286981808129?s=20&t=bF-71nKUw7lkm56RIVPFTQ
Bron about to cancel his Nike deal 👀
— DAVE FREEEE (@lloydslimm) December 24, 2022
Even #Lebron’s shoes choke. #Jordan sneakers would never… 😅 pic.twitter.com/jphIxnKQny
— Ryan (@ryanpayne4) December 24, 2022
Is the Lakers’ situation going to be the same as last season??
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This was Davis’s fourth consecutive game missing because of injury. James eventually became the victim of this, as the pressure to score escalated significantly on his shoulders. Despite Russell Westbrook and Austin Reaves having the team’s back, it just wasn’t enough on the night.
Before this game, Westbrook had been out with soreness in his left ankle for the previous two games. Reaves lost two games as a result of a sprained right ankle. Although James scored 34 points and grabbed 8 rebounds, the Lakers lost their third game in a row despite his performance.
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What did you make of the sneaker incident that likely cost LeBron James and the Lakers the game? Do you think the Lakers will still manage to make the playoffs this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.?