James shares his thoughts on team accountability after fixing turnover problems in back-to-back wins over Memphis.
The Los Angeles Lakers (22-11) came into their two-game set against the Memphis Grizzlies (15-20) dealing with some bad habits, and head coach JJ Redick made sure everyone knew it.
After Friday's game, Redick pointed out that the team had misplayed eight after-timeout plays (ATOs) during the contest, calling out the mistakes that had become a problem for the squad.
LeBron James Calls Out Unacceptable Execution
LeBron James did not hold back when asked about the team's issues with those plays.
"That's unacceptable," James said after the Friday game.
The Lakers had been dealing with turnover problems throughout their recent stretch, giving away 20 possessions against the Grizzlies in Friday's 128-121 win.
Despite the victory, the coaching staff made it clear that the execution needed to improve if the team wanted to compete at a high level moving forward.
A Quick 180 From the Team
By Sunday, after the team was called out by Redick on Saturday, the Lakers showed a much different approach.
Redick noted that the team only messed up one ATO play during their 120-114 victory over Memphis, which was a huge step in the right direction.
James praised his teammates for how quickly they turned things around after hearing the criticism.
"Guys hear it, take full responsibility … and then make that 180 change," James said.
The 41-year-old forward backed up his words with strong play on the court during the two-game sweep of Memphis.
James scored 31 points with nine rebounds and six assists in the first game, then followed that up with 26 points and 10 assists in the second matchup.
His ability to lead by example while also pushing his teammates to be better has been a key part of what has made the Lakers successful this season.
Luka Doncic Leads the Way in Both Wins
While James provided leadership, it was Luka Doncic who led the way in scoring during both victories.
Doncic dropped 34 points with eight assists and six rebounds in Friday's game, then came back with 36 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists on Sunday night.
He has been putting up big numbers all season, averaging 33.6 points per game to lead the entire NBA in scoring.
The back-to-back wins were exactly what the Lakers needed after going through a rough patch where they lost four of five games to close out the calendar year.
The consecutive victories over the Grizzlies gave the team some much-needed confidence heading into the new year and showed that they can fix their problems quickly when they put their minds to it.
Jake LaRavia also stepped up against his former team, scoring 21 points in the first game and 26 points in the second, proving that the Lakers have depth beyond their two superstars.
Looking Ahead
The Lakers now sit in fifth place in the Western Conference with a 22-11 record and will look to keep their winning ways going as the season moves along.
The Grizzlies dropped to 15-17 after the two losses and have now lost five straight games to the Lakers in head-to-head matchups.