The Los Angeles Lakers face the prospect of a sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder, potentially marking the end of the LeBron James era in Los Angeles.
After leading the top-seeded Thunder at halftime for the second consecutive game, the fourth-seeded Lakers were outscored by 25 points in the second half as another late-game collapse left them trailing 3-0 in the series against the defending NBA champions.
“I’m not angry or disappointed,” James told reporters after the game. “Obviously, I’m disappointed being down 3-0, but we still got life and that’s all you can ask for, and we gotta be much better on Monday. We’ll see what happens.”
Regardless of the outcome in Game 4, there is a chance it could be James’s final appearance in a Lakers uniform. His contract expires at season’s end, and the lack of an extension has fueled speculation throughout the campaign about a strained relationship with team governor Jeanie Buss. However, conflicting rumors suggest the Lakers would be happy to have James finish his playing career in purple and gold.
There is also the possibility that James retires this summer.
While all signs during the season pointed to James playing a 24th NBA season next year, his recent statement that he would not want a retirement tour has reignited speculation about his future.
