The Los Angeles Lakers only attempted eight free throws during their Sunday night defeat to the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Stadium. In a postgame interview, LeBron James was questioned about any changes the team made to account for the reduced number of free throw attempts, and his response was less than pleased.
James, aged 39, highlighted that the prevailing belief about the Lakers is their frequent trips to the free throw line, but clarified this perception arises from their lack of opportunities to attempt 50 3-pointers per game.
“There’s this notion out there that all the Lakers do is live at the free-throw line,” James remarked. “That’s the narrative. We’re attackers, that’s our style. We’re not launching 40 to 50 threes each game.”
In the game, James concluded with 28 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds, two steals, and a block, making three shots from beyond the arc.
LeBron James Commends Suns’ Supporting Cast The four-time NBA champion commended the Suns’ supporting players for their performance, acknowledging their accurate shooting as the Lakers fought to regain ground.
“We got off to a really sluggish start, both offensively and defensively,” James observed. “When you give up 45 points in a quarter, it’s an uphill battle. But after that, we played some solid basketball. Their supporting cast did a great job shooting tonight.”
Next on the schedule, the Lakers will “visit” the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, while the Suns will host the Houston Rockets the following day.