THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED FROM CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENTION

“But they also have not completely ruled out the possibility of one or both of them becoming available the longer the series lasts”

Playoff LeBron’s about to drop a 25/7/9 stat line and lose 4-1. That blows

LeBron playing with house money then. If they lose nobody cares and everybody is expecting them to lose anyways. But if they win? Legacy points added indeed. And the Rocket are the perfect team for it.

I think lebrons greatest achievement is that he’s never missed a playoff game. 

Like it’s truly insane how often we see stars get hurt at the most important time of the year but LeBron is always available even at 41 lmao 

So they’re out for the season then

Bronny about to be humiliated, man. Godspeed

Start Bronny and pray the power of family wins

Bron gonna have to turn back to 2018 Bron if they wanna have a chance 

Zero dark 30-23

Faded

Injuries shaking up the playoffs already and things aren’t even in full stride yet

He is not the third option anymore. He is going to be the second.

Bronny will take em through, Lakers in 5.

That might not be good for the Lakers! I have to look at the advanced stats but I believe those two could really help them.

the script writers are obviously setting up a bronny cinderella run

meanwhile the league is pushing the schedule as far as they can; it’s like 5 games in two weeks

Is the source JJ Reddick when he literally said in a press conference that they’re out indefinitely lol

Bronny about to get playoff minutes!

That’s the right mindset to have. No point in risking a star’s future health to run up against buzzsaws in coming rounds anyways.

LUKA, PUKA NACUA, RIDE IN A SUPRA, LAKERS IN 5️⃣

KEANU REAVES, TAKE A MINUTE AND BREATHE, SOMETHING UP MY SLEEVE, LAKERS IN ✋️

we’re still going to find a way to lose one, maybe two games

Such major injuries really do suck.

And from a narrative standpoint, it makes no sense to hate a legend (Bron) because he’s old and really good still and has played for multiple teams, but then also root for KD.

Not that I think, if even fully healthy, the Lakers would beat OKC or SA in a series.

But, if you say injuries don’t matter because LA would have lost anyway, then you are saying no playoff series matter except the WCF matchup of SA/OKC.

Injuries to Wemby AND SGA is the only thing that can stop one of the two teams winning it all.

And while I would LOVE to see either lose in the playoffs, I don’t want it to be because of major injury.

Oh shit

That’s good.

Here is the positive,

I’d say the Rockets out of the top 6 are the most vulnerable team.

Great. Another year of Ime now

Idk why anyone was pretending Luka or Reaves would be back this season. Everyone knows the timeline for the injuries they sustained goes well beyond a first round series no matter what pretend magical treatments may or may not exist in other countries

Gonna have to steal at least one of these home games to have any chance of them returning, but really we’re probably gonna be swept out of the first… yet another first round exit in the LeBron era, kind of disappointing considering the early championship

I think there is definitely a way to win a couple of games for the Lakers. Primarily it being threes are worth more than twos, LeBron is still a great passer, flank him with off ball shooters like Rui, laravia and Kennard, you’re bound to get more threes up than the rockets, hopefully make them too. I think they will sell out on the rockets other players, double kd hard and pack the paint. Another thing would be to see who kd is guarding, have that player cut to the rim hard every other play with LeBron passing, watching the blazers and warriors win the other day reminded me of a hugely important strategy that isn’t talked out as much as the 2000s where you rack up fouls on the other player. Booker, Dillon and Garland being in foul trouble I felt was the secret sauce that allowed them to lose and the last few fouls wasn’t I’m going to post up into this guy but an empty side back door cut and a tight pass, which LeBron is quite good at. The biggest concern would be can the lakers limit turn overs, can Marcus smart bring up the ball against amen Thompson because LeBron cannot do that the whole game. Second concern would be the boards, can Ayton and Hayes box out. Defensively for the lakers, having reaves and doncic out makes them actually match up better to the rockets. Admittedly, I haven’t watched a lot of recent rockets games during their late season spurt but they got some glaring weaknesses that a team with a guy as smart as LeBron could exploit.

If LeBron actually beats Houston… lmao

Imagine if Lebron carries like he did in 2018 lol

Ready made excuse for boy wonder JJ