The Lakers lost to the Suns 121-110 last night in Phoenix, that result coupled with the Spurs’ win over Nuggets, meant they were eliminated from the playoff race.
This defeat to the Suns was the Lakers’ seventh straight loss. This season will be James’ fourth ever without a playoff appearance. He missed out with the Lakers in 2019 due to injury and with the Cavaliers in 2004 and 2005.
This has really been a season to forget for the Lakers. They struggled to stay healthy all year with both James and Anthony Davis missing significant time. Things were made more difficult due to the underwhelming performances from Russell Westbrook. The trio has only been available together for 21 games, with the team going 11-10 in them. The Lakers failure to even make the play-in tournament has to be seen as the biggest disappointment in NBA history. The Lakers now have three games remaining, ending its season on April 10 against the Denver Nuggets.
READ ALSO: UCL: Advantage City! De Bruyne`s Goal Gives Manchester City The Lead
Analyzing the Lakers’ season
The warning signs were evident in the summer when the team traded for Westbrook. That trade is going to be remembered as one of the worst star trades in NBA history. The front office assembled an old, defensively vulnerable supporting cast for LeBron and Davis to work with. Ultimately Frank Vogel will pay the price for being unable to ever really figure it out. Davis couldn’t stay healthy for the second straight season. Kendrick Nunn, their primary free-agent addition, never played. It was an all-around disaster of a season.
This loss unofficially starts an offseason that is full of question marks for the Lakers. Will Vogel keep his job? A vital question. Another pertinent issue is if the Lakers can find a team that is willing to take on Westbrook and his huge salary. This off-season will throw up a lot of questions that need to be answered.
