'I don't know': LeBron James dodges retirement question after Lakers swept out of playoffs by champs
Updated . First published at
LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers have been swept out of the NBA playoffs by the all conquering, swaggering Oklahoma City Thunder.
The defending champion Thunder won game four of their Western Conference semi-final 115-110 to hand the Lakers a 4-0 sweep on their home court.
James, 41, continued to defy Father Time with 24 points and 12 rebounds but the Lakers did not have enough firepower with Luka Doncic, their best player, watching on injured.
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Chet Holmgren of the Thunder dunks the ball against LeBron James of the Lakers. Getty
Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 35 points while the unheralded Ajay Mitchell caught fire with 28 points on 12/19 shooting.
The Thunder improved to 8-0 in the playoffs with their toughest victory of the postseason.
James missed a driving bank shot with 20 seconds left that would have put the Lakers ahead.
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball. Getty
James has repeatedly said he hasn't decided whether to play next season, so there was no ceremony ahead of the game.
Instead, the Lakers desperately tried to extend their year, only to lose to Oklahoma City for the eighth time this season.
"I don't know what the future holds for me," James said afterwards.
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Getty
"I'll go back and recalibrate with my family and talk with them, spend some time with them and when the time comes, you guys will know what I decide to do."
James is the leading scorer in NBA history.
Austin Reaves scored 27 points before missing a tying three-point attempt with eight seconds left for the Lakers, who advanced one round further than almost anybody expected after losing NBA scoring champion Doncic and Reaves to significant injuries a month ago.
Actors Kevin Connolly, Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn at Crypto.com Arena. Getty
But Los Angeles lost six of their final seven playoff games and fell well short of the conference finals for the third straight season.
Oklahoma City faced their first fourth quarter deficit of the entire playoffs as the Lakers repeatedly refused to fold.
The Thunder will get at least the rest of the week off before they open the conference finals against the winner of San Antonio's second round series with Minnesota.
Jaxson Hayes of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a slam dunk. Getty
The Spurs and Timberwolves are locked 2-2 heading to game five on Wednesday (AEST).
Slovenian superstar Doncic missed the final 15 games of the Lakers' season after incurring a grade two hamstring strain in Oklahoma City, and he watched the season finale on the bench in a black sweatsuit.
James' son Bronny Jr did not take the court for the Lakers.
Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots the ball against Caris LeVert of the Detroit Pistons. Getty
Earlier on Tuesday (AEST), Donovan Mitchell scored a remarkable 39 points in the second half to guide the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 112-103 home win against the Detroit Pistons.
That 39 point frenzy matched the mark of Eric 'Sleepy' Floyd, who set the playoff second half record in 1987 for the Golden State Warriors against the Lakers, but missed his second foul shot.
"Everybody let me know that I missed a free throw to break the record, though," said Mitchell, who finished with 43 points.
"I will say that, but we're 2-2 headed to Detroit. That was what we came home to do and that's all that matters."
Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff, who takes pride in the physical style his team plays, was not pleased with the free throw disparity.
Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates. NBAE via Getty Images
Mitchell had more trips to the foul line (15) than Detroit's whole team (12).
"There is no way one guy on their team should have more free throws than our team. We're not a settling for jump shots team," Bickerstaff said.
"We didn't do enough to help ourselves, but ever since we came to Cleveland, the whistle has changed."
Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks with the media. Getty
Mitchell scored 15 during Cleveland's 24-0 run that went from the last 12 seconds of the first half to the first six minutes of the third quarter.
"What a shift, right? Really struggled in the first half and then a big time second half performance by Don," Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said.
The 24-0 run was the longest in an NBA playoff game since Minnesota also scored 24 straight in game six of their Western Conference semi-final series against the Denver Nuggets in 2024.
