Superstar LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers made remarks during the team’s Sunday loss to the Phoenix Suns regarding the “narrative” surrounding the Lakers and how frequently they get to the free-throw line.

James is correct; after 59 games, the Lakers rank bottom in the NBA in terms of 3-point attempts made per game (30.8).

With players like James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves, and others who can attack the hoop, Los Angeles frequently goes to the rim.

On Sunday, though, the Lakers only attempted eight free throws in their game against the Suns. James made a below-average 1-for-4 effort from the charity stripe, taking four of those shots from the line.

The only other players who reached the line were Rui Hachimura (one attempt at a free throw), D’Angelo Russell (one attempt at a free throw), and Austin Reaves (two attempts).

On Sunday, Phoenix attempted 19 free throw attempts and made 18 of them. That was a huge factor in the Suns’ 10-point victory.

The Suns, who are ranked fourth in the league, actually attempt more shots from the line per game this season than the Lakers. The Lakers (sixth in the NBA) attempt 24.3 free throws per game, compared to Phoenix’s 25.2 attempts.

It’s obvious that James wasn’t thrilled with the dearth of calls in Los Angeles’ favour during Sunday’s defeat. The Lakers, who now sit as the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference, lost and are now 31-28 on the season.

The Golden State Warriors are currently ahead of the Lakers in the Western Conference rankings, but they play the Denver Nuggets at Chase Centre on Sunday night, so things might change at any time.

Hopefully, one game where the Lakers didn’t get to the line as frequently as they usually do won’t stop them from playing their brand of basketball. The Lakers must partially make up for their lack of reliance on the 3-point shooting by making up ground at the charity stripe compared to other teams.

Before facing the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, James and the Lakers will have a couple days off to recuperate and clear their heads. This Thursday night’s game against the Washington Wizards will be the first of a back-to-back for the club.