Luke Walton Defends LeBron James Over Bad Performance Against Knicks

BYAlexander Cole4.5K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Harry How/Getty Images
Lebron James & Luke Walton
LeBron went missing in the fourth quarter last night.

The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the best Soap Operas in sports this year thanks to their horrible season which looked quite promising with the arrival of LeBron James. By Christmas Day, the team was fourth in the Western Conference and looked like a real contender to compete for a championship. From there, things quickly deteriorated for the Lakers and now they find themselves 11th in the Western Conference with almost no hope at making it to the postseason. On Sunday, the team's season was summed up quite nicely as they lost to the league-worst Knicks, 124-123.

LeBron was blocked on a last-second attempt to win the game, which dashed the Lakers' hopes of picking up the W. To make matters worse, LeBron shot 4 for 15 from the field during the fourth quarter, which was one of the worst quarters of his career. After the game, head coach Luke Walton defended James.

"He's one of the all-time great players in our league," Walton said according to Sporting News. "He understands time and score and everything else. So, he's earned that right to take the shots he feels comfortable with. As opposed to some younger guys, you draw things up and tell them what to look for and tell them where to go at what time."

The Lakers are now 9.5 games back of a playoff spot with a record of 31-39. Just a couple of weeks ago, the Lakers were only three games back.


About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. During this time, he has shown an expertise in Air Jordans, Yeezys, and all things that have to do with Nike. His favorite kicks are the Air Jordan 1 High OG, the Air Jordan 4, the Air Jordan 6, and the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 in the "Beluga 2.0" colorway. Although his collection might not be the biggest, he is always looking to add new styles to it. When it comes to sports, Alex has a particular interest in the NBA and the NFL. His favorite teams are anywhere LeBron goes, and the Kansas City Chiefs. As a Montrealer, the Montreal Canadiens hold a special place in his heart, even if they haven't won the Stanley Cup in his lifetime. Alex also works for the Concordia Stingers, where he provides play-by-play and color commentary for the football, hockey, and basketball teams His favorite hip-hop artists are Kendrick Lamar, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, and Lil Uzi Vert.
...