For the second consecutive game the Los Angeles Lakers got out to a big lead in the first half. And for the second consecutive game, the Lakers lost that lead, and ultimately the game.
After blowing a 19-point lead to the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday, the Lakers did the exact same in Miami against the Heat on Thursday night. In the locker room following the loss, one player who addressed the team was veteran Metta World Peace.
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World Peace spoke about how the Lakers respond to teams coming back on them. Thomas Robinson went into detail about what his teammate had to say via Tania Ganguli of the LA Times:
“We don’t respond well,” Lakers forward Thomas Robinson said. “Metta [World Peace] brought that up. Sometimes guys’ body language drops, and confidence comes down.
“We don’t look as alive once somebody comes back on us in the fourth quarter. … We’ve gotta realize that’s when it becomes fun.”
The Lakers are left looking for answers following this latest loss. As Nick Young pointed out, the Lakers have tended to panic when their leads get cut down. Combining that with the confidence loss that World Peace notices and it’s easy to see why the Lakers have been susceptible to blowing big leads lately.
Things have gone off the rails for the Lakers lately with losses in 11 of their last 12 games. Blowing big leads doesn’t make those losses any easier, but they are still learning experiences for a young team in its first season where the focus is truly on them growing together as a unit.
Bad body language and confidence loss can be worrisome if they continue every time the Lakers get in this position. The Lakers have always seemed to say the right things, but at some point the team will have to show it’s growth rather than talk about it.
