LeBron James has worst loss in his NBA career

Dec 9, 2021; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) dunks the ball during the first half against the Memphis Grizzles at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

On a night when LeBron James set the NBA record for most minutes all-time (regular season and playoffs), the NBA legend had the biggest loss of his career. On Monday night in Philadelphia, James had 18 points and five assists in a 138-94 Lakers loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

One reason for the blowout loss was because of Philadelphia’s dominant fourth quarter. There the 76ers outscored the Lakers 40-14. Five 76ers reached double digits in points for the game. Tyrese Maxey of Dallas, Texas had 31 points, reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid of Yaounde, Cameroon had 30 points (including a triple double as he had 11 rebounds and 11 assists), Marcus Morris Sr. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania had 16 points, guard Patrick Beverley of Chicago, Illinois had 12 points, and shooting guard Nicolas Batum of Lisieux, France had 10 points.

James meanwhile, now has 66, 318 career minutes. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has the old record with 66,297 minutes. James is third all-time in regular season minutes with 54,665. Abdul-Jabbar is the all-time leader with 57,446, and Karl Malone is second with 54,852.

The 44-point loss is the fifth worst loss in Lakers’s history. The biggest loss in Lakers’s franchise history came on January 22, 2017 as Los Angeles was spanked 122-73 by the Dallas Mavericks in a 49-point loss. The Lakers also lost by 48 points to the Los Angeles Clippers (142-94 on March 6, 2014), 48 points again to the Utah Jazz (123-75 on March 28, 2016) and by 46 points to the Portland Trail Blazers (129-83 on January 9, 1995). With the win, the 76ers improved to a record of 12 wins and five losses, and the Lakers fall to a record of 1o wins and eight losses.