LeBron James thinks the Lakers and Steelers are similar in a sense that they win games despite their offensive struggles.
Are the Los Angeles Lakers the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NBA? If you ask LeBron James, he’ll say yes.
The Lakers suffered a rather humbling defeat at the hands of the Orlando Magic on Saturday, 120-101. The Purple and Gold were outscored in all quarters except the fourth, further highlighting the team’s offensive struggles this season.
Los Angeles is now ranked in the bottom half of the NBA in scoring following the defeat, as the team drops to 16th with their 111.8 points average. The top five teams in scoring (Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks and Indiana Pacers) all average above 120 points.
Despite those offensive woes, though, the Lakers are still 3-3 on the season, good for eighth in the Western Conference. They have beaten teams like the Phoenix Suns, Clippers and Magic. With that said, LeBron couldn’t help but compare the team to the Steelers, a team that also struggles offensively but has found ways to win games in the NFL.
“We’re like the Pittsburgh Steelers right now. The Pittsburgh Steelers right now have not out-gained or out-scored any of their opponents in this season right now and yet they’ve got a winning record,” James told reporters postgame.
To LeBron James point, the Steelers are really one of the worse offensive teams in the NFL. They actually rank 29th in points per game with 16.6. However, Mike Tomlin’s men are second in the AFC North with a 5-3 record.
It’s definitely a comparison that has merits. Nonetheless, it doesn’t mean LeBron and co. can relax. With the grueling 82-game season, their offense needs to improve if they want to fight for a playoff spot. The Western Conference is extremely competitive, and that offense of theirs could be what kills them at the end of the campaign.
