Watch: LeBron James airballs clutch 3 and potential game-tying shot vs New Orleans Pelicans, seemingly ending hope for salvaging the season
LeBron James air-balled the game-tying 3-point shot to send the New Orleans Pelicans-LA Lakers game into overtime on Friday. The Lakers lost the tie 111-114 and slipped further up in their race to qualify for the play-in tournament following the loss.
Here's a clip of the last possession of the match uploaded by Rob Perez on Twitter:
LEBRON TO SAVE THE SEASON AT THE BUZZER https://t.co/pDuDtokMcg
James and Anthony Davis returned to the lineup for this crucial match that could end up being a potential season-deciding loss for the Lakers. The duo played a decent game as LeBron scored 38 points to go along with eight rebounds, while AD managed 23 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.
However, they could only produce a combined six points and five assists in the fourth quarter, shooting two of nine from the field. The Lakers ended up blowing a six-point advantage they held with just under nine minutes left in the fourth, enduring another late-game meltdown.
LeBron James and LA Lakers' season could be coming to an end soon
The LA Lakers dropped to 11th in the Western Conference standings again, but this time they are a whole game behind the tenth-placed San Antonio Spurs, without a tie-breaker advantage. They will have to try and go 4-1 or 5-0 in their remaining games to have a shot at still making the play-in tournament and keeping their playoff hopes alive.
It won't be an easy task, though. The Lakers will have to face the Denver Nuggets twice, the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors in four of their next five games. The OKC Thunder are the only team seeded lower than them in their remaining schedule. Even OKC has managed to beat LA twice already this season, so the odds are stacked against Frank Vogel's men.
The Pelicans just put the Lakers out of their misery. That was a Big Time win for the Pelicans tonight! Everyone from New Orleans stay the hell outta of my mentions tonight and Carry the hell on…
Additionally, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are both playing through injuries and their availability moving forward remains doubtful. At this stage, LA couldn't have been in more trouble than they are in right now, so any hopes of a late-season turnaround seems bleak.
The Lakers have been woeful defensively throughout the season, and their rotations have been questionable as well. With only five games left in the regular season, their hopes of qualifying for the play-in tournament is hanging by a thread.