LeBron James can't save the Lakers at the end of a disastrous road trip

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – LeBron James glared at the Lakers bench, another chance wasted, another Grizzlies run delivered.

There wasn't much else he could do Wednesday night in the final game of the Lakers' first road trip. He had attacked disagreements. He had achieved triple success. He fought like hell with the huge Memphis front line.

His team was understaffed. Anthony Davis' bruised heel, an injury he suffered Monday in Detroit, kept him out of action. An illness did the same to Rui Hachimura.

Unlike the losses in Cleveland and Detroit that ensured this trip would be a mess, this one wasn't about a fight. That’s what the Lakers showed up for.

But as his team watched a two-point deficit turn into an 11-point deficit after Memphis made three straight threes, James looked to the bench.

It wasn't anger. It was desperation. The Lakers would end up losing 131-114, and he couldn't stop it.

James was great – he scored 39 points, made six three-pointers and played with power. His team did too. They just couldn't make shots.

D'Angelo Russell put his hands to his head in disbelief as a three-pointer rang out. Austin Reaves yelled at himself after one of his seven missed shots. And Dalton Knecht, making his first start in his NBA career, missed all but one of his seven of three shots – including an airball.

Meanwhile, Memphis punished the Lakers with minor disturbances from their role players. Rookie Jaylen Wells hit back-to-back three-pointers. The same was true for Jay Huff, the Lakers' former two-way center. Scotty Pippen Jr., another former Lakers two-way prospect, posed at his former bench after hitting one of his three three-pointers.

Ja Morant, who scored 20 points, had to leave the game with a hamstring injury. But since the Grizzlies made 17 threes, they had more than enough.

In addition to the cold shot, Knecht had to leave the game after Jake LaRavia elbowed him in the face. After having his jaw checked on the sidelines, he went back to the locker room.

The Lakers finished their trip 1-4. They play Philadelphia at home on Friday, with six of their next eight games coming at their home facility.