The Lakers’ blowout loss to the Kings on Wednesday had numerous contributing factors, but LeBron James honed in on the season-high 23 turnovers as the primary cause.

Following a double-digit defeat, various aspects could be scrutinized for the team’s shortcomings. In the matchup against the Kings, options ranged from a sluggish start in the opening quarter, Anthony Davis’ challenges in defending Domantas Sabonis, to an overall lack of offensive production throughout the game. However, LeBron James specifically emphasized the team’s turnovers as the focal point.

“There was a lot that had an effect on the game,” James said. “I think definitely turnovers. They did a good job of being in the passing lane. We turned the ball over way too many times and allowed them to score off our turnovers. A couple of times, it broke our run when we had good defensive stops or whatever the case may be and they were able to read some of our passes.”

In the fourth quarter, the Lakers faced a daunting 24-point deficit but managed to narrow it down to nine before succumbing to several crucial turnovers that ultimately sealed their fate. A poorly executed pass by Davis led to a Keegan Murray dunk at the four-minute mark, followed by a handle loss from James resulting in a Harrison Barnes steal. Additionally, Austin Reaves was swiped by Barnes with 1:58 remaining in the game.

With 86 seconds left, they conceded the match, opting to empty their bench.

Turnovers in basketball carry a double negative impact, terminating offensive possessions and often granting the opposing team an advantageous scoring position.

Against the Kings, the Lakers committed a staggering 23 turnovers, marking their highest tally of the year. Sacramento capitalized on this vulnerability, scoring 30 points off those turnovers, with five of those points coming in the closing minutes.

While turnovers were a glaring issue across the roster on Wednesday, there is a silver lining as Los Angeles has the opportunity to swiftly move past this game and focus on the upcoming matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. The Lakers recently faced Portland last Sunday, securing a victory with a 116-110 scoreline and committing only nine turnovers in that successful outing.