LeBron James is resigned to his fate: His Lakers won’t make the playoffs, leaving the King to preach patience instead of preparing for the post-season. (DaveZarum)
Suddenly what had been an 11-point Raptors lead had been cut down to two and James was providing a flashback to a not-so-distant era when the four-time MVP seemed to particularly revel in sticking the dagger into the Raptors.
But then something unusual happened. James, who is on a minutes-restriction as the season winds down, was subbed out of the game with five minutes remaining in the half and the score 48-46.buzzer-beating three-pointer to send the Raps into halftime with an 11-point lead once again. They didn’t look back, cruising to a 111-98 win.
After the game, James sat in the visitors locker room at Scotiabank Arena, a black durag wrapped around his head and a Lakers T-shirt with the sleeves cut off clinging to his Herculean shoulders. He was resigned to his latest fate: The 31-37 Lakers won’t make the playoffs and have been a typical circus show — at times the laughing stock of the NBA as they’ve failed to deliver.
“It’s challenging for me mentally because I’m so accustomed to being out on the floor, especially when I’m healthy,” James said of having to sit out. “But it was a conversation between myself, my trainer, the coaching staff, and the front office, and this was the direction they wanted to go for the remainder of the season given the lack of success we’ve had with our ball club.”
They used their cap space to sign a series of uninspiring veterans — Beasley, Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, JaVale McGee — and, of course, allowed the Anthony Davis trade deadline drama to torpedo the second half of their season.
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