Charles Barkley Obliterates LeBron James and the Lakers: “OLD. SLOW. BRICKS. FENSE As in No D. And Ench As in No Bench”

NBA expert Charles Barkley gave a harsh evaluation of the floundering Los Angeles Lakers in a recent interview. Explicitly, he stated that they are old, slow, and cannot score points. Further, he added they lack defense and the bench players aren’t pulling their weight.

“OLD. SLOW. BRICKS. FENSE, as in no ‘D,’” Barkley said of the Lakers. “And ‘ENCH’ as in no bench.”

Barkley explained in an exclusive interview why the Lakers are no longer the title contenders they seemed to be at the outset of the season.

Lakers’ stars in trouble?

The Lakers were considered a strong contender for the NBA title when guard Russell Westbrook was acquired by them over the offseason. However, rather than prospering, the Lakers have struggled to integrate Westbrook’s all-around talents on the court.

In addition, the last three Laker games have seen Westbrook limited to under 28 minutes of playing time. This is significantly less than what a superstar of his caliber is used to. Further, he was benched during the crunch time in the game against Indiana Pacers.

Anthony Davis’ injury has been another major factor in the Lakers’ struggles. This season, the veteran has missed 18 games, taking away a significant portion of the team’s scoring. Although he is back practicing at pre-games, it is uncertain when he will be back for good. In addition, LeBron James has missed 12 games due to personal reasons, and the team’s lack of depth has been a source of worry.

Read More: Kevin Love Admits The Impact of Post LeBron James Era Cavaliers On His Maturity : “There Are Things I Would’ve Done Differently”

What does this mean for Frank Vogel’s hot seat?

Frank Vogel has himself seen his fair share of drama in the past weeks. It is fair to say, his job as the head coach might have only be saved due to the win against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday. This win came after the criticism by Lakers veteran Magic Johnson. He said that the Lakers played with a lack of effort and were devoid of a sense of urgency.

However, the Lakers, leading comfortably in the first half, again dropped the ball against the Pacers on Thursday. Consequently, the Lakers have lost four of their past five games and have a 22-23 record for the season. Hence, it’s hardly surprising that Barkley made such a scathing assessment of the Lakers’ present situation. The Hall of Famer’s penchant for slamming everyone has made him one of the most quoted individuals in the NBA.

The Lakers’ road ahead does not get any easier as they prepare to embark on a six-game road trip through the Eastern Conference. The first of these games is against the Orlando Magic on Friday night. Let us know what you think in the comments.

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