Los Angeles Lakers’ most disappointing seasons: 2. 2018-19
The first year with LeBron James on the Los Angeles Lakers was absolutely a disappointment. While most reasonable fans knew that the Lakers still had a lot to do to contend with a team like the Golden State Warriors, it was almost a guarantee that the Lakers would be a playoff team with LeBron on the roster.
Because when does LeBron ever miss the playoffs, right?
This season appeared to be trending in that direction as well. There were some hiccups, but LeBron and the young core were really exciting to watch early in the year. LeBron and Lonzo Ball became the first teammates since 2007 to record a triple-double in the same game.
Nine days after that double triple-double, the Lakers faced the Golden State Warriors on the road, on Christmas, and beat the defending champions. They did not just beat them, they beat them by 26. This moved the Lakers to 20-14 and the team was firmly in the top four in the West.
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However, in that game, LeBron pulled up with a groin injury that saw him miss over a month of action. The Lakers were 6-11 in those 17 games and even once LeBron returned, the team was plagued with other injuries and just could not pick up the momentum that they once had.
LeBron was shut down the last six games of the season in a year that truly seemed to be a “take it easy and wait for a second star” year and the young core that LeBron was playing with was traded to New Orleans for Anthony Davis.
The Lakers still finished with a losing record at 37-45.