Saturday night’s Game 3 matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder did not go as planned for the Los Angeles Lakers. They had a narrow lead at halftime, but the Thunder completely took over the second half and coasted to a 3-0 series lead.
“I’m not angry or disappointed,” LeBron James said after the game. “Obviously, I’m disappointed being down 3-0, but we still got life and that’s all you can ask for, and we gotta be much better on Monday. We’ll see what happens.”
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No team in NBA playoff history has ever comeback from the dreaded 0-3 deficit, and Monday could very well be James’ final game as a Laker.
His contract expires as the end of the season and he will become a free agent, something that’s been a major talking point regarding the Lakers all year.
If it was a given that he was staying in L.A., he likely would have already agreed to a new extension. That fact that he hasn’t is a sign that leaving over the summer is a serious possibility.
Over the years, rumors of friction between James and the Lakers have been growing louder. If he’s unhappy with the direction of the franchise, it’s rumored he could be returning home to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Another wrinkle in the situation is his son, Bronny, who currently plays alongside him on the Lakers. James may be more hesitant to leave if it meant he wouldn’t be playing with Bronny.
At 41 years old, there’s also a real chance that he could call it a career after this season, although James hasn’t given any explicit signals that he will retire.
The injury to superstar Luka Doncic came at the worst possible time for the Lakers as he’s missed the entire postseason so far and is not expected to play in Game 4 on Monday.
Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been relatively cold in the first three games, but that hasn’t exactly mattered.
OKC’s defense and depth has continued to overwhelm a Lakers team that is already weakened offensively.
Ultimately, the Lakers may be able to squeak out a win in Game 4 and maybe even Game 5 as well, but the odds are not in their favor to win the series.
When this season eventually ends, all eyes will be on James as he decides where to spend the final portion of his legendary career.
James Parker is a sports writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
