Series Not Over But Lakers Are Done

Why is the inevitable still so painful?

When the Lakers blew a golden opportunity in OKC the writing was on the wall. Now that the Lake Show has pulled the same act in Staples that writing is chiseled in stone.

This series is not over. There is still a minimum of one more game on the books. If there are going to be anymore it will be on the Lakers. Oklahoma City rode Kevin Durant down the stretch and Russell Westbrook throughout the entire second half to make the passing of the crown academic with their Game 4 coronation.

Kobe Bryant was, has been and always will be great. His brilliance was on display this postseason as it was in Game 4…until it mattered most. 38 points for Mamba but none came when the team needed one last lift.

The Thunder again closed like champs with KD dropping the Kobe-esque dagger to give OKC a lead they’d never give back.

Even with the Lakers up 13 in the fourth this felt inevitable, like this entire series. It was always going the way of the former Sonics. About all the Lakers could do is try and slow the Thunder’s roll on their way to the Western Finals. This one could still go the distance but all that will do is prolong the inevitable.

We’ve seen how this show ends. Bynum gets no touches. Kobe forces impossible jumpers. Pau passed up open looks. The Lakers lose in painful fashion.

At this point the true hope is that this does come back to Los Angeles. Getting three in a row on a team you’ve got to fight tooth and nail just to stay close with is not likely. Showing some pride and making them work for their chance to contend for the Western Crown is what a team with title hopes would do.

From the jump we knew the Lakers’ title chances were doomed. Standing on the edge of the end you knew was coming still feels painful because it’s final. This was inevitable all the drama that remains is how much longer will it last?