The great licking of wounds has begun for the Lakers
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Published on 04/06/2022 | Reading time: 4 minutes

It wasn’t enough: Lakers forward Anthony Davis scored 21 points in the game against Phoenix and was his team’s second-best thrower behind Russell Westbrook (28).
Quelle: USA TODAY Sports/Mark J. Rebilas
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Despite the large star ensemble, the Los Angeles Lakers did not make the NBA playoffs. The disappointment with the record champions is great after the defeat in Phoenix. In the east of the league, on the other hand, a tight race is still going on.
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VA few days ago, basketball superstar LeBron James made an April Fool’s joke. “I’m out for the rest of the season. See you in the fall,” James wrote on Twitter before dragging his limber body back onto the floor a few hours later at the age of 37 and witnessing his Los Angeles Lakers’ next loss. The season, which started with a title goal, has become a sporting disaster for the traditional club from California, the Lakers, eleventh in the Western Conference, will not even take part in the qualifying tournament for the play-offs.
“Some things we could control, some we couldn’t. There are no excuses, we just didn’t make it,” said veteran Carmelo Anthony after the 110:121 at the Phoenix Suns, which was not only the seventh loss in a row, but also meant the final play-off end.
So James’ April Fool’s joke came true a few days later, he will no longer play a role in the best basketball league in the world until the fall. He will have to watch as European stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) and Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks) or the extremely strong Phoenix Suns make up the NBA trophy among themselves. With the long-awaited fifth ring, with which the exceptional talent wanted to collect further arguments in the ongoing debate Michael Jordan vs. James, nothing will come of it.
Lakers functioned neither offensively nor defensively
“We are extremely disappointed,” said head coach Frank Vogel, who should have no future at the glamor club after such a season. The team with star player James, the veterans Anthony, Russell Westbrook and Dwight Howard and co-star Anthony Davis looked extremely promising. But adverse circumstances made things difficult for the Lakers. Davis was injured for a long time, and James also had physical problems again and again. The team also didn’t work, neither offensively nor defensively.