The Los Angeles Lakers’ hopes of extending their winning streak at the start of the NBA season were dashed by Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns, who secured a 109-105 victory at Footprint Center on Monday. One key factor in the defeat was LeBron James‘ unusually low production, as he later revealed he had been dealing with some health issues that impacted his performance.
In 36 minutes, James recorded 11 points, five rebounds, and eight assists. While these stats aren’t negligible, one figure highlighted his struggles: he connected on just 3 of 14 field goal attempts, ending with a shooting percentage of 21.4%.
According to Stathead, this marks James’ worst shooting percentage in nearly two decades. The last time he recorded similar numbers was during his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, in a 2007 loss to the Dallas Mavericks, where he scored just 10 points with an 18.2% shooting efficiency.
LeBron’s season so far
James’ performance in Arizona stands as his lowest output of the season. Prior to this game, he had shown steady improvement in his scoring, starting with 16 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves, then 21 against the Suns in an earlier matchup, and reaching 32 points against the Sacramento Kings.
King James returns to Ohio
As Anthony Davis remarked after the Phoenix game, occasional losses are part of an NBA season. The Lakers aim to avoid consecutive losses, which adds importance to their upcoming game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.
This matchup will be particularly meaningful for LeBron, who began his NBA journey with the Cavaliers and led them to their first-ever championship in 2016. Adding a special touch to the occasion, LeBron will be in Ohio with his son Bronny, who was also born in Ohio and witnessed many of his father’s career milestones with the Cavaliers.