Where’s Lebron? As Laker Season Vanishes, He Again Disappears

They possessed a halftime lead pinch 1 of nan astir accomplished playoff players successful NBA history.

They mislaid by 23.

They possessed nan champion scorer successful NBA history astatine nan controls of a sizzling discourtesy successful a large arena against a squad that had each logic to battalion it in.

They mislaid by 23.

To those who witnessed nan first 3 games of these Western Conference semifinals betwixt nan Luka Doncic-less Lakers and nan defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, it is nary astonishment that nan Thunder lead 3 games to none.

What is shocking is that, pinch a 131-108 win Saturday nighttime astatine Crypto.com Arena, nan Thunder steamrolled to triumph complete nan prone assemblage of an NBA legend.

They applied nan dagger straight done nan bosom of LeBron James.

As successful some earlier games successful this series, nan Thunder treated a Lakers lead for illustration a pesky gnat, swatting it distant pinch a casual flick arsenic if it ne'er existed.

As if James ne'er existed.

This clip it happened successful a 3rd 4th during which nan Thunder turned a one-point halftime shortage into a13-point lead that was ne'er again challenged.

This clip it happened pinch James, contempt being connected nan tribunal for astir 11 of nan 12 minutes successful nan quarter, making each of 1 changeable pinch nary rebounds, 1 turnover and a minus-13 rating.

“The 3rd quarter, we’ll commencement pinch that,” James acknowledged afterward. “We didn’t person nan energy, nan effort.”

Indeed, he looked tired. He looked 41. He looked for illustration a feline who, having played successful a grounds 300 playoff games, was having problem clearing nan hurdle of 301.

Lakers guardant LeBron James catches his activity during a break successful play against nan Thunder successful Game 3 connected Saturday nighttime astatine Crypto.com Arena.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

For nan game, he missed 12 of 19 shots, 4 of six three-point attempts, had zero violative rebounds and equaled a team-low pinch a minus-24 successful 33 less minutes.

Translated: His boy Bronny had only six less baskets.

“I wouldn’t opportunity I’m angry aliases disappointed,” LeBron said. “I mean, evidently you’re disappointed successful nan elemental truth of, like, being down 3-0 obviously. But I mean, you know, we still sewage life and that’s each you tin inquire for.”

Well, 1 could inquire for James to move backmost time, but he’s already done that this spring. Remember, he virtually saved nan Lakers from epic embarrassment pinch a Game 6 clinching gem successful nan first information against nan Houston Rockets.

But without nan enormously impactful Doncic, his task has proven excessively tenuous, his responsibilities excessively unwieldy, his occurrence excessively unworkable.

This time, clip has tally out.

This time, LeBron James isn’t getting it done.

Lakers guardant LeBron James slaps hands pinch coach JJ Redick connected his measurement to nan chair successful a blowout nonaccomplishment to nan Thunder successful Game 3 connected Saturday night.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Not only are nan Lakers facing an humanities impossibility — you’ll retrieve that NBA teams starring three-games-to-none are 161-0 — but they’re already base nan weight of an humanities humiliation.

The Thunders’ 74-49 second-half scoring advantage marks nan second-worst 2nd half beatdown of nan Lakers since they came to Los Angeles 65 years ago.

This bid isn’t moreover close. From nan opening extremity past week, it has ne'er been successful immoderate superior doubt.

“I mean, evidently we gotta [give] everything,” James said. “Everything and much to hit a squad for illustration this.”

Ah, but they’ve tally retired of, “and more” and James knows it.

For nan Lakers to person immoderate chance without nan league’s starring scorer — isn’t it perpetually maddening seeing nan hamstring-strained Doncic sitting connected nan chair successful a fancy sweat suit? — they needed superhuman efforts from James and second-leading scorer Austin Reaves.

Reaves, sigh, has intelligibly been incapable to flooded his oblique wounded and playoff demons. He was lousy again Saturday pinch 5 baskets and 5 turnovers and a bunch of guff for nan officials.

Lakers defender Austin Reaves, right, throws his manus into nan aerial arsenic he complains astir a non-call during Game 3 against nan Thunder connected Saturday nighttime astatine Crypto.com Arena.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

This near nan awesome hauling to James, who’s not officially hurt, but here’s guessing his full assemblage is hurting. He’s not officially exhausted, but here’s guessing his full assemblage is tired.

He’s not officially a elder citizen, but successful NBA position he’s decidedly a elder national and during nan astir important moments of Saturday’s game, he acted for illustration it.

In a 3rd 4th that featured nan opening of a 21-5 Thunder run, successful 1 damning series James missed consecutive layups and was passive connected a walk from Reaves that became a turnover, which turned into different Oklahoma City basket.

For nan game, for nan 3rd consecutive game, nan Lakers made bunches of mistakes that became bunches of baskets, this clip 17 blunders that became 30 Oklahoma City points.

Midway done nan 4th quarter, location appeared possibly nan worst turnover series of all, Reaves having a layup blocked by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Alex Caruso racing downcourt for an uncontested dunk while a intelligibly weary James walked down him.

Incidentally, nan Thunder person been truthful bully that they’ve endured 3 mediocre games by reigning MVP SGA and are still astir apt going to expanse this series.

“The MVP is, you know, 18, 22, 7 of 20 tonight, and they’ve kicked our ass 3 consecutive games,” said Laker coach JJ Redick. “They’re an unthinkable hoops team.”

The chair was cleared by Redick pinch 3:38 remaining, which has to beryllium immoderate benignant of grounds for a losing LeBron James squad successful nan postseason

‘We gotta enactment pinch it,” said Marcus Smart, who has been obliterated by nan Thunder’s beingness guards. “Gotta beryllium moreover much hopeless than we are.”

Gotta person much LeBron James.

No guarantees you’re gonna get it.