The Los Angeles Lakers finished the season as the No. 3 seed in the West. The Lakers have LeBron James, Luka Dončić and arguably the NBA’s best ‘third option’ in Austin Reaves. And yet, L.A. finds itself in a 3-1 deficit to Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves after Game 4’s 116-113 loss.
The Lakers started their first season in Minnesota and likely could have ended their 24-25 season in that same city with a pivotal Game 4 loss. Ironically, the Lakers as we know them were once the Minneapolis Lakers starting in Minnesota, before moving to Tinseltown and becoming the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers were tied, or had the advantage in the final five minutes in both Game 3 and 4 and found a way to lose both. These late game meltdowns may end up being the reason the Lakers lose this series to the Timberwolves.
Fans Call Out LeBron After Game 4
King James delivered a vintage performance in Game 3. James posted 38 points, 10 rebounds and nailed five 3-pointers. It wasn’t enough to boost L.A. to victory. LeBron tried to put on his superhero cape again in Game 4, but 15 of his 27 points came from the free throw line. James scored 0 points in the 4th quarter in Game 4.
During Game 4, LeBron James debuted a new player exclusive Nike LeBron XXII dedicated to his 10-year-old daughter Zhuri Nova James. While it wasn’t the lucky pair of kicks for LeBron and L.A., the sneakers certainly made a splash on social media.
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LeBron reshared a picture his daughter-inspired kicks on his instagram story from Bleacher Report Kicks account, much to the dismay of Laker fans and social media users.
One user wrote “Miss when Bron cared about the game, now he just spends all his time on social media.” Another Instagram user chimed in “Bro cares about his shoes than the game … Twolves in 5.” While two things can be true, LeBron could mull over this loss and still promote his Nike sneakers, fans prefer James to stay silent on social. One user shared this sentiment by posting “Bron aint focused on ball no more.”
Should ‘Zero Dark Thirty-23’ Mode Return?
LeBron James normally will shut down on social media use during the playoffs. He started this trend during the 2012 playoffs, in which he won his first NBA championship. The purpose of this mode was to help LeBron stay focused mentally to prepare for the rigorous challenges of the postseason, while staying away from the distractions social media can cause.
LeBron ended his “Zero Dark Thirty-23 Mode” because of the need to stay connected with his family and his desire to discuss social justice issues, which heightened in 2020.
The Lakers need to string three wins in as many tries, with the odds stacked against them. Teams leading 3-1 in a best-of-seven series have won 95.5% of the time (275-13). With his team down in the series and the level of scrutiny rising on LeBron’s commitment to basketball, King James may need to revisit his break from social media to help L.A. advance to the second round.