"The King going home after one more game": Charles Barkley brings out a broom as Nuggets take 3-0 lead over Lakers
LeBron James and the LA Lakers have suffered 11 consecutive defeats against the Denver Nuggets, relinquishing another substantial advantage in the series. Following a Thursday night loss to the Nuggets, with a final score of 112-105, the Lakers now face a daunting 3-0 deficit.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis exerted maximum effort in their pursuit of a crucial victory, but their endeavors fell shy of success. The support from their teammates, notably starting point guard D'Angelo Russell, was notably lacking, with him failing to register a single point.
Following the game, the NBA on TNT crew dissected the Lakers' defeat. Charles Barkley succinctly encapsulated the Lakers' demeanor with a few pointed words.
"The King going home after one more game," Barkley said.
However, in classic Charles Barkley style, he did so by bringing out a broomstick and sweeping the floor, indicating the next game for the Lakers at home could be their last game of the postseason.
Charles Barkley elaborates on LA Lakers downfall vs Denver Nuggets
The Lakers' vulnerability was glaring once again as they watched yet another double-digit lead dissipate against the Nuggets on Thursday night, bringing them perilously close to an early offseason.
The decisive blow could arrive as soon as Saturday night during Game 4 in L.A., given the Lakers' palpable sense of dejection following a third consecutive loss despite commanding early advantages.
For Charles Barkley, a premature Lakers playoff exit would serve as vindication, having spent the entire year contending that both the Lakers and the Warriors (who failed to secure a playoff berth, falling in the Play-In to the Kings) were overhyped.
“I just want to say to all you people who’ve been kissing up to the Lakers and the Warriors all year talking about ‘they gonna make a run.’ Know where they gonna run to? The Bahamas. Sunday morning. I told y’all all along. … I get tired of these fools on the other network. … I told y’all, the Lakers and the Warriors both stink.”
Austin Reaves emerged as only the third Laker apart from Davis (33) and James (26) to reach double figures in scoring. He tallied 22 points on an 8-17 shooting performance, albeit a significant portion of his output occurring during garbage time.
Spencer Dinwiddie contributed eight points, while Taurean Prince added seven to the Lakers' total.