Lakers’ four-game winning streak ends with a thud against Grizzlies

LeBron James took the pass and determinedly bounced the ball three times with his left hand before a slippery crossover dribble left Kyle “Slow-Mo” Anderson positive that he has the proper nickname. The Lakers’ 37-year-old star jetted into the paint, jumped and cocked the ball back before a ferocious dunk against Jaren Jackson Jr.

It cut the Memphis lead to 20.

That James was spectacular — and he was as good as ever Sunday night against the Grizzlies with 35 points, nine rebounds and seven assists — only served to contrast how miserable every other Lakers player in uniform was.

The scorching Malik Monk dramatically cooled and could barely connect. The recently dependable Avery Bradley couldn’t get the ball through the basket. And Russell Westbrook’s impact on the game would’ve been impossible to spot if his missed jumpers weren’t so wildly off target.

James did some of everything on offense, winning above the rim and bailing his team out with wild one-handed push shots from three-point range to beat the shot clock.

But the Lakers’ flaws were too apparent, somewhat exposed by an opponent with little fear of their older and slower competition. The Lakers lost 127-119, a game in which they trailed by as many as 29 after allowing the Grizzlies to scored 80 total points combined in the second and third quarters.

The tone was set at the top — of the backboard — by the Grizzlies’ star.

Ja Morant, who finished with 16 points, ran down the court after Avery Bradley, gathering his feet underneath himself and launching himself into the air. As he violently hurled toward the backboard, Moran reached up and snatched Bradley’s shot with two hands as it climbed past the midway point of the glass.

Unlike James, Morant had help — more than he needed — allowing him to concentrate on the handful of highlight plays he uncorked, like the two-handed dunk he had to sky for early in the third quarter as Memphis began to pull away.

The Lakers, who had won four in a row since losing to the Grizzlies in Memphis on Dec. 29, closed the deficit to single digits in the fourth quarter thanks to a furious comeback started by Wayne Ellington and capped by Austin Reaves, forcing Memphis to put Morant and its other starters back into the game.

Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with 23 points, while Jackson finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds and six blocked shots.