James was disappointed in how they performed to end the first quarter.
“We just didn’t get back,” he said. “We didn’t have a sense of care factor. We didn’t have no care factor in those last two minutes.”
LAL has lost four straight twice this season. Miami lost four straight once. The "Bucks" lost four of five, two by d.d.s one stretch; lost by FORTY at Cleveland three games after that. Seven straight though, that is a horse of a different color. Five by d.d.s, two certified blow-outs, that feels different, more ominous, like something broke, because it is different and more ominous.
IS it just "funky time"? "Heat" don't care, "Lakers" don't care, and they have almost identical records, 24-23 and 24-24. IS not making the effort ever acceptable? Obviously, no. But it happens; it has happened to Miami virtually every season in the Jimmy Butler era. The one time it didn't, when we won the Eastern Conference, we lost in the conference finals. Two other times we somnambulated into the league Finals.
Adam Silver has made a priority of the regular season, starting this regular season. Anything less than full effort in the regular season cheapens the regular season without cheapening the prices fans pay to see play. I spent about $2000 on three tickets to see the "Heat" play the best, most exciting game they played at home this season, December 16 against Chicago. On the incredible high of that experience I texted my son and daughter-in-law and urged them to pick a date where we could go to another game. Fortunately for my bank account they didn't take me up on the offer. I have thought in this last week that I hoped they wouldn't take me up on it belatedly. I would be PISSED if I paid two grand to see any of the four home games that we lost during this streak--not because we lost, because of the team's lack of effort. I'd feel cheated.
