When the final buzzer rang down at Staples Center on Friday night, the Los Angeles Lakers were officially eliminated from playoff contention.
The game was stretched to overtime, but the Brooklyn Nets ultimately prevailed, going on an 11-2 run to win 111-106 and drop the Lakers to 31-41 on the season. The season-determining defeat officially put an end to LeBron James' post-season streak, marking the first time in 14 years King James will be on the outside looking in.
Key injuries to James himself, Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram played a huge factor in dropping the Lakers out of the playoff picture, who, at one point, climbed to fourth in the Western Conference. Factor in all the Anthony Davis rumours that crushed the team camaraderie and the team winning only twice in their last 14, LeBron's first season in La La Land has turned one of his most forgettable seasons.
Following the disappointing loss to the Nets, reporters caught up with LeBron and asked him to reflect on the campaign that will see him watch the post-season as a spectator for the first time since his third year in the NBA.
Obviously it’s been a tough season for all of us. It’s not what we signed up for, but throughout the year, things happen. Suspensions, injuries, things of that nature, and us just not being able to play sustainable basketball for 48 minutes.
…. We talked about it all year from the beginning, how our depth would be a huge part of our team. Throughout the whole season we’ve just had bodies and bodies and bodies be down. It’s just hard for us to have any type of rhythm, any type of camaraderie, any type of chemistry on the floor when [coach Luke Walton] has to play with the lineups over and over and over, and try to figure out different scenarios on the court for us to be successful.”
His streak of eight consecutive finals will over, and the questions of "where do the Lakers now go from here?" and "who will they target in free agency?" will start to perculate if they haven't already.
(h/t ESPN)
