Getty LeBron James
The end of the Los Angeles Lakers game against the New York Knicks on Sunday drew plenty of attention. Unfortunately, for fans of the Lake Show and superstar LeBron James, it wasn’t for a good reason. While the Lakers fell 124-123, the end of the game sent social media into a frenzy, as it essentially summed up the team’s entire season.
The Twitter trolling began the moment the final play happened, and NBA fans pulled no punches when the video came out. As Barstool Sports shows (with a little jab in the caption), LeBron was blocked by Mario Hezonja on an attempted game-winner with time expiring.
SHOWTIME! LeBron blocked by Mario Hezonja as the Lakers lose to the Knicks
The struggles for James in this game went far beyond just getting blocked on the final attempt as well. He shot 4-of-15 from the field in the fourth quarter, including getting blocked twice in the last 45 seconds of the game when it was a one-possession game on both occasions.
James’ stat line for the entire game looks solid at first glance, as he posted 33 points with eight assists and six rebounds. But a deeper dive shows he shot 11-of-26 from the field and 0-of-6 from beyond the arc during the loss. It was an all-around brutal loss for the Lakers, who moved to 31-39 this season, and not surprisingly, social media couldn’t wait to call out both LeBron and his team.
After all, losing to a team making a push at the top of the lottery who had just a 13-56 record entering this game was brutal. And the fans certainly didn’t hold back while pointing fingers at James and the Lakers in a similar fashion to how Hezonja did (you’ll see).
Twitter Reacts to Lakers Loss to Knicks, LeBron James
@redapples @Ballislife Is this your king?
Me after the Knicks come back to beat the Lakers and their lottery odds remain exactly the same
if you’re the Lakers would you trade Lebron for Mario Hezonja + a 2nd rounder?
@stephenasmith @KingJames @russwest44 @FirstTake Better KO at the Garden?
Lopez vs Menard
or
Hezonja vs Lebron
Lakers Playoff Chances After Loss to Knicks
To put it as gently as possible, the Lakers are essentially finished when it comes to their playoff chances. According to the CARMELO system from FiveThirtyEight, they have less than a one percent chance and are projected to finish at 36-46 on the year. The site’s Elo system also has them set to fall out of contention at less than one percent with a predicted final record of 35-47.
For James and the Lakers, it’s essentially time to look ahead to the offseason, 2019 NBA Draft Lottery and free agency. All areas will provide some interesting options, and Magic Johnson and company will surely begin their push to acquire Anthony Davis once again.
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