The great licking of wounds has begun for the Lakers
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Published on 04/06/2022 | Reading time: 4 minutes
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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).
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.
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James experienced the final knockout from an ankle injury on the sidelines. He wore a casual t-shirt, gold chain and sunglasses. It’s emblematic of a season when nothing worked out and some supporters were already accusing James of playing for the scoring title rather than a winning Lakers result. James’ Los Angeles record is split: the club missed the play-offs in 2019 and 2022, and in 2021 they lost in the first round. But in 2020 it was enough for the title, led by James and Davis.
“We look really good on paper,” Davis said earlier this week of this year’s roster. “But we didn’t have a chance to show that.” The fact that rather mediocre teams like the New Orleans Pelicans or the San Antonio Spurs instead of the Lakers are playing for more tickets for the final round in the so-called playin tournament must be particularly painful for the James team .
But the Lakers had nothing more to add in the crucial phase of the season. “This year we’ve had more varied starting line-ups than wins,” Davis said soberly. Ending his career is not yet an issue for James, who has won at least one title at his stations in Cleveland, Miami and Los Angeles. He wants to stay in the NBA until his 17-year-old son Bronny comes into the league and has a season as a father-son team.
Chicago Bulls secured the last direct ticket
The end was also sealed because the San Antonio Spurs had previously won 116:97 at the Denver Nuggets. As a result, the Lakers can no longer catch up in tenth place in the remaining three games of the main round. The Spurs are now safely playing the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round of mini-qualifiers. It’s about one of the last two playoff spots in the Western Conference.
With a 121-115 win against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Utah Jazz made the playoffs perfect. In the west it is still unclear whether Denver can defend its direct play-off spot or whether the Minnesota Timberwolves will still overtake them to sixth place.
In the Eastern Conference, on the other hand, only placement questions without any impact on participation in qualification are open. Despite the 106:127 defeat against the Milwaukee Bucks, the Chicago Bulls secured the last direct ticket to the playoffs.
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The Cleveland Cavaliers, on the other hand, have to go into the so-called play-in because of the 115:120 loss to the Orlando Magic. Franz Wagner made his comeback for the Magic after missing his first NBA game of the season, but stopped after less than seven minutes with an ankle injury. His brother Moritz Wagner got 15 points.
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The Miami Heat consolidated their top spot in the East with a 144-115 win over the Charlotte Hornets. It remains tight for second place. The Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers each have 49 wins and 30 losses. In the 131:122 of the 76ers against the Indiana Pacers, Joel Embiid had another outstanding evening with 45 points and 13 rebounds and promoted the award for the most valuable player on his own behalf.
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