Lakers Drop Below .500 After Blowout Loss to Heat, and NBA Fans Are Gloating

The Lakers are 3–9 since winning the in-season tournament.

Wednesday night was a rough one for the Los Angeles Lakers. Facing the Miami Heat, one of the top teams in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, the Lakers had an opportunity to show they could compete with a playoff contender.

Instead, the Lakers were blown off their home court, 110–96, dropping their record to 17–18 for the season. Since winning the in-season tournament, the team is 3–9 and has fallen to the No. 10 spot in the Western Conference seedings. 

Anthony Davis led Los Angeles with 29 points, with Austin Reaves adding 24. But LeBron James only scored 12 points, his lowest total of the season. That wasn’t a match for eight Miami players scoring in double figures, led by Tyler Herro tallying 21. Jimmy Butler was out for the Heat, sidelined with a foot injury. 

While coach Darvin Ham tries to determine how to “right the ship,” as he put it, NBA fans and Lakers detractors are taking joy in pointing out how badly the team has been playing. Here’s a sampling from social media:

LeBron chose not to speak to reporters. Shocking.

— Jason Williams (@Metalchondria) January 4, 2024

Lakers literally have to fire Ham. You have to give a new coach some time to actually get guys in roles to evaluate the roster. This can't be a post deadline firing

— TTttttttaaa8 (@Theloverboy07) January 4, 2024

Lebron James tonight pic.twitter.com/gle2nd3gel

— 🦇 (@Shadowiscold) January 4, 2024

Ham should be gone already and Pelinka better have a trade ready to go as soon as players become eligible for trade on the 15th

— 🦋 (@shmerf) January 4, 2024

LAKERS GOT BLOWN OUT AGAIN! THEY ARE NOW UNDER .500 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/Mp4An9w1a2

— E ☀️ (@DubMnE) January 4, 2024

Up next for the Lakers is a Friday matchup with the Grizzlies (11–23) before an intra-city clash with the surging Clippers (21–12) on Sunday.