On April 26, Beijing time, the first group of the first round of the NBA was born 0-3, and the Lakers lost 105-112 to the Nuggets at home, suffering three consecutive defeats in the playoffs. In this way, there is no suspense for the Lakers to encounter a round of tours, and today is equivalent to a life-and-death battle, but the Lakers did not seize the opportunity. In the other three groups of games in the West, the Suns fell behind the Timberwolves 0-2, the Pelicans trailed the Thunder 0-2, and the Clippers drew 1-1 with the Mavericks. If the Suns also lose the next game, then James and Durant, the two best players in the NBA in the past 10 years, will basically be out early, and their era will be completely over this year. In the history of the NBA, there have been 151 times when they were 3-0 down, and no team has won four games in a row to complete the big comeback.
It's not scary to lose, it's the way you lose that is scary. The Lakers players have worked hard, in the first 3 games of the series, the Lakers have been suppressing the Nuggets in the first half, but in the third quarter they began to be chased by the Nuggets and completed the overtake, according to statistics, in these three games, the Lakers lost by 31 points in the third quarter, which is the main reason. And in the fourth quarter, the leading Nuggets are often not in a hurry, just like boiling a frog in warm water, slowly widening the gap, after the Lakers narrowed the difference, the Nuggets opened again, and the Lakers lost 3 games in a row, and even the scene was almost exactly the same, as if they had seen the Lakers lose in G4.
The Lakers have suffered 11 consecutive defeats in the face of the Nuggets, and were swept 0-4 in the Western Conference finals last year, and now they are 0-3 behind, and basically they will be swept at the end of the next game, but why is the Lakers 0-3 this year more uncomfortable than last year's 0-4 Lakers players and fans?
First, the Lakers reached the Western Conference finals last year, and they were able to compete with the Nuggets with the courage, and it was indeed not good to be eliminated, but this year it was reversed in three consecutive games, and this way of losing was too demoralizing, and it is estimated that the Lakers players do not want to participate in G4. Second, facing the same opponent for two consecutive years, a win is hard to find, last year the Lakers players still fantasized about revenge, and after the first round this year, the players will be afraid every time they see the Nuggets in the future. Moreover, after the Lakers entered the Western Conference Finals last season, everyone thought that the Lakers still had the possibility of competing for the championship, and after this season, the Lakers' championship window officially closed.
In fact, the relationship between James and the Lakers management is also very delicate. After going out 0-4 in the Western Conference last year, James said in an interview that he might end his career, causing an uproar, and Lakers general manager Pelinka responded that if James really decided to retire, he and the Lakers would not stop it, respecting the decision of the elder Zhan. But since then, everyone knows how things have developed, James did not retire and continued to play for 21 seasons. And James's remarks were also interpreted by the American media, in order to steal the heat of being swept 0-4.
The Lakers have participated in the play-offs three times in the past four years, although it is not a failure, but they have never had a real chance to compete for the championship, and the peak of the thick eyebrows is almost over. Although James can still cut 25+, it is not difficult to see from the game that he is no longer at his peak, and his influence on the game is getting smaller and smaller, and fans can feel that he is powerless, after all, he is almost 40 years old.
James can jump out of the contract and complete the contract extension with the Lakers this summer, because the Lakers are likely to be swept again, Jeanie Buss's patience with James is basically exhausted, she expects James to continue to lead the team to the championship at the end of his career, but now this illusion is completely shattered, the Lakers are likely not to renew James's contract, if he becomes a free agent, the Lakers will let him go. Then with Brother Thick Mei as the core of the team, the team also entered a new stage. And James also wants to have a retirement tour, his eldest son Bronny will land in the NBA through the draft this year, James is about to make his dream come true, boldly predicting that the old James will officially end his career in the 24-25 season and complete the last dance.