- Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron James points to the person responsible for the Lakers' catastrophe and that could finally destroy the team
- Cincinnati Bengals. Shannon Sharpe makes co-host cry because of Cincinnati Bengals' terrible season and condemns him for a hot take
Former NFL star Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson didn't hold back during the latest episode of Night Cap, his podcast with Shannon Sharpe, as he criticized fans and analysts for making excuses for LeBron James amid the Los Angeles Lakers' recent slump.
Ochocinco wants Lakers to face the truth
The Lakers have lost six of their last eight games, dropping to a 12-10 record and ninth in the Western Conference standings.
Despite LeBron James scoring 29 points in a losing effort against the Miami Heat on Wednesday, his previous outings have raised concerns.
He struggled with just 10 points on 4-of-16 shooting against the Minnesota Timberwolves and followed up with 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting versus the Oklahoma City Thunder.
During the podcast, Johnson voiced his frustration at the narrative surrounding LeBron's struggles, saying, "I know what I don't like tonight. I respect both of your basketball knowledge, but I find it unacceptable to make excuses for LeBron."
He continued by criticizing the lack of credit given to the Heat for their dominant performance, adding, "It's disheartening to see that folks aren't giving the Heat credit for delivering a stern lesson to the Lakers. That's precisely what happened tonight."
Johnson acknowledged that even elite athletes have off nights, arguing that LeBron is no exception.
"There ain't nothing wrong with him. LeBron is human. He will have off games. Just like in baseball, sometimes you enter a slump. It occurs. You can drop the ball, have a bad game. That's simply what's on display right now."
LeBron himself expressed frustration after the 41-point loss to Miami, calling out his teammates' lack of competitiveness.
"If you don't want to come out and compete, there are other issues at play," he told reporters.
"We need to figure this out. It's undeniably embarrassing, for sure."
While the Lakers still have time to recover, the team's current form has sparked fan unrest, with calls for changes in the roster and leadership looming if the downward trend continues.
Whether this wake-up call will ignite a turnaround remains to be seen, but Johnson's words add another layer to the growing tension surrounding LeBron and the Lakers.