Los Angeles Lakers: D’Angelo Russell ends playoff streak of LeBron James
By Ronald Agers
Here are some takeaways from the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss to Brooklyn Nets.
LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers officially will not be a part of the playoffs. There I said it. It’s over.
There were two important streaks that were of importance last night that materialized. One, the Los Angeles Lakers are officially out of the playoff chase for the franchise record sixth straight year. The last time the Lakers made the playoffs was when Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles tendon back in 2013. That was when he made it a point to still shoot the free throws.
Man, Kobe Bryant fans are going to beat that narrative to death this summer. If Kobe Bryant wasn’t beloved before, his reputation just made mythical proportions. I mean the last time the Lakers made the playoffs, Dwight Howard was considered a max level free agent.
Two, LeBron James will miss the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2005 and will not make the Finals for the ninth straight year.
Wait a minute? That’s three streaks. Oh well, let the blame game and finger-pointing begin because it was not supposed to go like this.
To put this situation in proper perspective, the Los Angeles Lakers have missed the playoffs more in this decade (six) than they have in an entire generation from 1949-2013 (five). Is this what Dr. Jerry Buss and Jack Kent Cooke envisioned when they built and nourished this franchise into one of the two biggest NBA crown jewel franchises?
Well on the bright side, everybody can stop talking about the Lakers chances of making the playoffs, even though the team had made Cancun plans before the All-Star break.
The Los Angeles Lakers lost their 4th straight game to the Brooklyn Nets 111-106 to finish out the embarrassing sweep from both New York franchises. Yes, Lakers fans, the team could not beat the Knicks or the Nets.
The game featured its own storyline with the return of D’Angelo Russell, who fresh off of one of the greatest performances in the shot clock era against the Kings, would have some Lakers fans calling for Magic Johnson’s job. With Russell now an All-Star, Magic Johnson’s legacy as a Lakers executive is tied to him.
But now, I’m in the serious minority and if you don’t sign that max-level free agent you promised everyone on air in the middle of Dodger Stadium on Fox Sports, I might be the only one left.