“Never Get Frustrated With the Process”: LeBron James Talks About Lakers Mindset Amidst Recent Struggles

With both, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal returning from injury, the Phoenix Suns were at full strength as they easily disposed of the Lakers at Footprint Center. Last night’s game saw LeBron James & Co. lose by a staggering 27-point margin in their NBA Cup Group Stage clash.

It’s the largest point differential that JJ Redick has lost as a head coach and the second straight 20+ point loss suffered by the Purple and Gold. However, LeBron maintained his composure during the post-game interview, looking to inspire some confidence after the resounding blowout.

“We are in a process-oriented team and we understand, you know, that’s not going to happen overnight. So, you know, you stay even-keeled, never get too high and never get too low,” the four-time MVP said during a locker room post-game interview.

The King had 18 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds in the away loss, but he didn’t point fingers at any of his co-stars. “You’re frustrated at times, obviously,” James added, “But you never get frustrated with the process.”

LeBron on if there needs to be changes to the defensive strategy:

"Whatever our scheme is for the game, we gotta go out and execute it." pic.twitter.com/rxClZscPo6

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) November 27, 2024

With 22 seasons under his belt, LeBron is well accustomed to seeing the bigger picture. Despite the disappointing result in Arizona last night, he just wants his team to focus on mastering their schemes and playing the brand of basketball that’s expected of them.

James knows that the real payoff for their hard work will come in the postseason, and he doesn’t want his team getting deflated as they continue to calibrate their strategies as a unit.

As the leader of the Lakers, his confidence is certain to resonate with the rest of the roster. The King’s faith in his team and coaches has clearly not been shaken by the back-to-back blowouts, and he asked his teammates to maintain similarly thick skin. They seem to have got the memo.

Austin Reaves, like LeBron, is focused on the bigger picture

Only 4 Lakers players scored in double digits last night. Anthony Davis led the way with 25 points, 15 rebounds, and 4 blocks, D’Angelo Russell poured in 16 points off the bench and Austin Reaves contributed 15 points along with 2 steals.

Reaves was interviewed after the game and the fourth-year guard remained level-headed while sharing his thoughts on the 27-point loss.

“In the moment, as you’re competing, it’s nearly impossible to think about the big picture when you’re getting your a** kicked. But when it’s all over, you sit down, you think about it and we’re 10-7 right now, we’re still in a good spot,” AR shared.

Austin Reaves on the third quarter and thinking big picture as a team when they're struggling: pic.twitter.com/KrFNQ15EuO

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) November 27, 2024

The Lakers were on a six-game winning streak but have now lost the last three, starting with the close home defeat against the Orlando Magic. Reaves reflected on how natural it is to feel poorly in such moments, but he resounded his confidence in Redick’s system, affirming that it will carry them back to their winning ways.