They possessed a halftime lead with one of the most accomplished playoff players in NBA history.
They possessed the best scorer in NBA history at the controls of a sizzling offense in a loud arena against a team that had every reason to pack it in.
They lost by 23.
To those who witnessed the first three games of these Western Conference semifinals between the Luka Doncic-less Lakers and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, it is no surprise that the Thunder lead three games to none.
What is shocking is that, with a 131-108 win Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena, the Thunder steamrolled to victory over the prone body of an NBA legend.
They applied the dagger directly through the heart of LeBron James.
As in both earlier games in this series, the Thunder treated a Lakers lead like a pesky gnat, swatting it away with a casual flick as if it never existed.
As if James never existed.
This time it happened in a third quarter during which the Thunder turned a one-point halftime deficit into a13-point lead that was never again challenged.
This time it happened with James, despite being on the court for nearly 11 of the 12 minutes in the quarter, making all of one shot with no rebounds, one turnover and a minus-13 rating.
“The third quarter, we’ll start with that,” James acknowledged afterward. “We didn’t have the energy, the effort.”
Indeed, he looked tired. He looked 41. He looked like a guy who, having played in a record 300 playoff games, was having trouble clearing the hurdle of 301.
For the game, he missed 12 of 19 shots, four of six three-point attempts, had zero offensive rebounds and equaled a team-low with a minus-24 in 33 fewer minutes.
Translated: His son Bronny had only six fewer baskets.
“I wouldn’t say I’m angry or disappointed,” LeBron said. “I mean, obviously you’re disappointed in the simple fact of, like, being down 3-0 obviously. But I mean, you know, we still got life and that’s all you can ask for.”
Well, one could ask for James to turn back time, but he’s already done that this spring. Remember, he literally saved the Lakers from epic embarrassment with a Game 6 clinching gem in the first round against the Houston Rockets.
But without the enormously impactful Doncic, his task has proven too tenuous, his responsibilities too unwieldy, his miracle too unworkable.
This time, time has run out.
This time, LeBron James isn’t getting it done.
Not only are the Lakers facing an historical impossibility — you’ll remember that NBA teams leading three-games-to-none are 161-0 — but they’re already bearing the weight of an historical humiliation.
The Thunders’ 74-49 second-half scoring advantage marks the second-worst second half beatdown of the Lakers since they came to Los Angeles 65 years ago.
This series isn’t even close. From the opening tip last week, it has never been in any serious doubt.
“I mean, obviously we gotta [give] everything,” James said. “Everything and more to beat a team like this.”
Ah, but they’ve run out of, “and more” and James knows it.
For the Lakers to have any chance without the league’s leading scorer — isn’t it constantly maddening seeing the hamstring-strained Doncic sitting on the bench in a fancy sweat suit? — they needed superhuman efforts from James and second-leading scorer Austin Reaves.
Reaves, sigh, has clearly been unable to overcome his oblique injury and playoff demons. He was lousy again Saturday with five baskets and five turnovers and a bunch of guff for the officials.
This left the major hauling to James, who’s not officially hurt, but here’s guessing his whole body is hurting. He’s not officially exhausted, but here’s guessing his whole body is tired.
He’s not officially a senior citizen, but in NBA terms he’s definitely a senior citizen and during the most important moments of Saturday’s game, he acted like it.
In a third quarter that featured the beginning of a 21-5 Thunder run, in one damning sequence James missed consecutive layups and was passive on a pass from Reaves that became a turnover, which turned into another Oklahoma City basket.
For the game, for the third straight game, the Lakers made bunches of mistakes that became bunches of baskets, this time 17 blunders that became 30 Oklahoma City points.
Midway through the fourth quarter, there appeared perhaps the worst turnover sequence of all, Reaves having a layup blocked by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Alex Caruso racing downcourt for an uncontested dunk while a clearly weary James walked behind him.
Incidentally, the Thunder have been so good that they’ve endured three mediocre games by reigning MVP SGA and are still probably going to sweep this series.
“The MVP is, you know, 18, 22, seven of 20 tonight, and they’ve kicked our ass three straight games,” said Laker coach JJ Redick. “They’re an incredible basketball team.”
The bench was cleared by Redick with 3:38 remaining, which has to be some sort of record for a losing LeBron James team in the postseason
‘We gotta stay with it,” said Marcus Smart, who has been obliterated by the Thunder’s physical guards. “Gotta be even more desperate than we are.”
Gotta have more LeBron James.
No guarantees you’re gonna get it.
The post Where’s LeBron? As Laker season vanishes, he again disappears appeared first on Los Angeles Times.
