(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers secured a spot in the play-in tournament on Sunday night, beating the Utah Jazz 128-117 in the final game of the season.
This means they will next face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday in hopes of pushing through to the seventh seed in the West.
While they scored a comfortable win on Sunday, NBA analyst Skip Bayless wasn’t blown away by the work of LeBron James.
Noting that the Jazz were very short-handed, Bayless said that James and his Lakers should have “wiped them off the face of the Earth” as the Golden State Warriors did to the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.
He also said that James has been “pathetic from three all year” but keeps “jacking up threes.”
“You’re crowning yourself against what’s left of the Jazz?” Bayless said, shocked.
LeBron ‘crowns’ himself after a 36 point day against the Jazz:
“You’re crowning yourself against what’s left of the Jazz? You should’ve wiped them off the face of this Earth!” — @RealSkipBayless pic.twitter.com/HdfyCAY8RD
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) April 10, 2023
Bayless isn’t the only one who felt the Lakers should have led by a healthier margin against a Jazz squad that was without Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, and others.
Meanwhile, others are saying that a win is a win and that perhaps the Lakers were reserving their power for the first play-in game Tuesday night.
There is no doubt that the team will need to become more focused in the days ahead.
The regular season is very different from the playoffs and the pressure and stakes are higher.
Bayless might not like what he’s seen from James recently but he can’t argue that the man has plenty of experience and expertise when it comes to the postseason.
Few players have reached the playoffs as much as James.
He has consistently shown an ability to level up when these games begin.
Will he and his Lakers do it this year?
The post Skip Bayless Left Unimpressed With LeBron’s Performance Against Jazz appeared first on The Cold Wire.