LeBron James appears fed up with Russell Westbrook’s shooting struggles after an 0-3 start to the Lakers season.
With 30 seconds to go in the fourth quarter and a 102-101 Lakers lead over the Trail Blazers on Sunday, Westbrook missed a jumper with 18 seconds on the shot clock.
James, who was walking up the court, appeared confused by Westbrook’s decision and flailed his arms in the air before he ran back on defense.
Damian Lillard would hit a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to give the Blazers the lead, and they held on for a 106-104 victory when James missed a fallaway at the buzzer.
After the game, Westbrook said he was trying to go two-for-one with taking the shot so early. When asked about the shot decision, James wouldn’t discuss the matter, but appeared to defend Westbrook.
“I feel like this is an interview of trying to set me up to say something. I can tell that you guys are in the whole ‘Russell Westbrook category’ right now,” James said postgame. “I don’t like to lose. I hate to lose at anything. I don’t care what happens throughout the course of my season or throughout the course of my career, I hate to lose. And especially the way we had this game. But give credit to Portland.
“You guys can write about Russ and all the things you want to try to talk about Russ, but I’m not up here to do that. I won’t do it. I’ve said it over and over. …That’s not who I am.”
Although Lakers coach Darvin Ham supported Westbrook’s decision to shoot early, he said he thought Westbrook “settled” for the jumper.
“I just wished he had attacked the rim,” Ham said. “It’s just a matter of stepping up. If you’re gonna take it, you have to step up and make it. And that’s pretty much it.”
Westbrook, who missed both of his fourth-quarter shots in the final four minutes, finished with 10 points, six rebounds and six steals. He went 4-for-15 from the field and was 0-for-3 from three-point range.
That came after his 0-for-11 performance in Thursday’s loss to the Clippers.
“Just trying to do the best I can,” Westbrook said.
The Lakers’ shooting struggles have been on display throughout three straight losses to start the season. On Sunday, they shot 18.2 percent from three, which was worse than their first two games when they went a combined 19-for-85 (22.4 percent).
“We can’t shoot a penny in the ocean,” James said, while looking at the stat sheet following the game.
After the game, multiple players reportedly cited “shot selection” as a problem the team needs to correct.
The Lakers have explored trading Westbrook throughout the offseason after he failed to gel with James and Anthony Davis last season. However, they believed keeping Westbrook under Ham’s system would improve his fit within the roster.
So far, that does not appear to be the case.
The Lakers travel to Denver to face the Nuggets on Wednesday.