Lebron James fans' campaign for him as the NBA's Greatest of All Time took a hit Monday after the Los Angeles Lakers lost by 44 points to the Philadelphia 76ers.
In comparison, Michael Jordan's worst defeat was a 37-point beatdown from the New York Knicks in 1992 when he was still part of the Chicago Bulls.
It was not the worst defeat for the Lakers franchise, but for Lebron, it took him to the lowest point of his career.
James did not mince words in describing what went down in Philadelphia. When asked what they must do to turn things around after a dejecting loss, he said, "A lot."
"I can only speak for myself," he said when asked how to respond to the loss.
"I don't like it."
King James has every right to react that way, not just because he is the leader of the team or the lack of effort from the roster as a whole but because it was his worst loss ever.
How does that loss compare to his other "ugly losses"?
Here are some of the worst defeats the King suffered in his NBA career before Monday:
1. 42-point loss to Indiana Pacers - February 5, 2019
The first season of Lebron James with the Los Angeles Lakers did not pan out as expected. They missed the 2019 playoffs, and in the same season, he also experienced the lowest point of his professional career after they lost to the Indiana Pacers by 42 points, 136-94.
James scored 18 points in the game on a night when he could have surpassed Michael Jordan in the All-time scoring list.
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2. 36-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the 2013 NBA finals
This defeat is on the list because of the gravity of the game. James and the Miami Heat lost by 36 points to the Gregg Popovich-coached San Antonio Spurs, making it the worst of his NBA career.
People questioned LBJ's desire to win a championship and the vitality of his super team. The worst part of the loss is that Lebron missed 11 of his 13 shot attempts, leading people to question his drive and mentality.
The Heat eventually won the series in seven games for their back-to-back NBA championship.
3. 36-point loss to Washington Wizards - April 24, 2008
In his fifth season, James suffered a beatdown from the Washington Wizards in the 2008 playoffs.
To be fair to James, he produced the usual numbers he was making, but the Wizards were hungrier. The capital-based club was down 0-2 in the series, and they did everything to limit James.
The game's most memorable moment was the back-and-forth between James and Deshaun Stevenson, who finished the game with 19 points.
4. 35-point loss to Golden State Warriors - January 16, 2017
The 2016-2018 rivalry between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers was the peak of animosity between the two teams.
The Cavs beat the Warriors in the NBA Finals of 2016, and that meant they only had two chances to exact revenge against the James-led team. They were able to do it on January 16, 2017, with former MVP Kevin Durant now on their side.
The Dubs took care of the business from the tip-in, as they never trailed the whole game. Their defense clamped both James and Kyrie Irving, holding them to just 35 percent on the field and a combined 12 turnovers.
Related article: LeBron James' Greatest Scoring Performances as He Reaches 39,000 Career Points
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