The Oklahoma City Thunder walked away with a 131-108 win and a 3-0 series lead against the Los Angeles Lakers. The conversation cannot be avoided any longer.
LeBron James is on the brink of being swept in the second round of the playoffs for the first time in his career, and the NBA world believes that his career may be coming to an end.
Can the Lakers Come Back From 0-3?
The short answer is no team in NBA history has ever done it, and this Lakers team is not built to be the first. No team has overcome a 3-0 series deficit in the playoffs, not once.
After the Lakers’ loss a few hours ago, fans on X started speculating that this could be one of the last times we see King James in a Lakers jersey. Rob Perez wrote on X, 1 game left in the LeBron Lakers era? This how it’s going to end?”
1 game left in the LeBron Lakers era?
This how it’s going to end?— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) May 10, 2026
Legion Hoops, a famous basketball fan account, said, ” Next game could be LeBron James’ last game ever in a Lakers jersey.”
Next game could be LeBron James’ last game ever in a Lakers jersey.
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 10, 2026
Sam Quinn, an analyst from CBS Sports, wrote, “All in all this postseason was a success. If nothing else, it proved LeBron still has it and that JJ is an awesome playoff coach. They don’t have the players right now, but I’ll leave this postseason feeling reasonably confident about the Lakers infrastructure if they get them.”
All in all this postseason was a success. If nothing else, it proved LeBron still has it and that JJ is an awesome playoff coach. They don’t have the players right now, but I’ll leave this postseason feeling reasonably confident about the Lakers infrastructure if they get them. https://t.co/KSK4xKkzla
— Sam Quinn (@SamQuinnCBS) May 10, 2026
Another prominent NBA personality who goes by the name ‘CuffsTheLegend,’ boldly stated that James should walk away. He wrote on X, “if i’m LeBron i would seriously consider walking away. Definitely wouldn’t give the Lakers another year on the Rob Pelinka hamster wheel. One final run with a true contender or walk away into the sunset.”
if i’m LeBron i would seriously consider walking away. Definitely wouldn’t give the Lakers another year on the Rob Pelinka hamster wheel.
One final run with a true contender or walk away into the sunset.
— 73-9 and THEY LIED (@CuffsTheLegend) May 10, 2026
OKC is a problem that this Lakers roster does not have a solution for right now. The Thunder beat Los Angeles by an average of 29.3 points per game during the regular season, the largest point differential between two same-conference teams all year.
James is averaging 23 points, 4 rebounds, and 6.7 assists through three games in this series while shooting 51.9 percent from the field. But it looks like he has been the only one performing at a high level for the Lakers right now.
The Luka Dončić situation hangs over everything. The Lakers’ star guard has been out with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, and his return in this series remains unlikely.
Without him, the offensive load falls entirely on James and Austin Reaves, who have not been right since coming back from the oblique injury that cost him the first three games against Houston.
Reaves committed five turnovers in Game 3 alone. Luke Kennard has been the most reliable complementary scorer through three games. Oklahoma City is a different level entirely, and the gap between these two teams right now may simply be too large for any single player.
