LeBron James is in a crisis – and like LeBron James, the Lakers are too.

In his last five games, LeBron is averaging 16.6 points per game (up from 22 this season) on 39.6% shooting overall and 7.7% from 3 – he has missed his last 19 shots from long range. Monday’s crowning achievement came with a 4-of-16 shooting performance (0-of-4-from-3), scoring 10 points with six turnovers on the second night of a brutal encounter in Minnesota (after playing at Utah on Sunday). LeBron James has shot less than 45% in each of his last six games, something he hasn’t done since his rookie season (Statistics about Tomer Azarly).

During this stretch, LeBron is getting to the free throw line about half as often as he did at the beginning of the season, although he is still making an impact with 9 assists and 7.8 rebounds per night in his last five games. If you expand the sample to 10 games, it’s 19.4 points per night on 43.8% shooting and 21.8% from 3.

What’s up? LeBron isn’t even sure reported by Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times.

“It’s everything,” James said. “It’s the rhythm. I just felt like I was out of rhythm in the last three or four games.”

The Lakers are a top-heavy squad that requires LeBron – who turns 40 later this month – to play at an All-NBA level to have a chance most nights, if he doesn’t, they are Pedestrian. The Lakers have posted an offensive rating of 102.4 over their last six games, which ranks 28th in the league during that time. The Lakers are 2-5 in their last seven games. While the Lakers are 12-9 this season, they have the net rating of a 9-12 team – so far the Lakers have won close games and had a bit of luck, but that tends to even out over the course of 82 games. The bigger problem for Los Angeles is that despite Anthony Davis on defense, the Lakers are 24th in the league in defense this season, and it’s difficult to win consistently when a team can’t get stops.

Right now the focus is on getting LeBron back on track.

Does JJ Redick need to find a way to give LeBron more rest? LeBron is playing an average of 35 minutes a night and has appeared in all 21 Lakers games this season – numbers that are consistent with what he has done over the last few seasons, including the 2020 championship season (although in this COVID/bubble -season there was a break of several months). Mid-season so everyone came back rested). LeBron has talked about wanting to play all 82 games this season, something JJ Redick has supported in the past – because Redick understands the power dynamic in that relationship – but now he sounds more hesitant, as reported by Dave McMenamin at ESPN.

“I don’t know that it’s in his best interest and our best interest for him to do that, but if he’s good and he’s feeling good then he should play. But of course we want to do it as best we can.”

It is unclear where there will be a lull, at least this week. The Lakers stay on the road in Miami on Wednesday and Atlanta on Friday before coming home to take on the athletic Trail Blazers on Sunday. Then the schedule will lighten up a bit, the Lakers will have a home and away game the following week to round out their NBA Cup commitments (the Lakers didn’t advance out of group play, so they have two games against West teams). planned which also didn’t make it to the knockout round).

What’s the key for LeBron to get him and the Lakers back on track?

“Working,” James said when asked about the solution. “Just work. That’s all.”