Who Do You Blame for the Lakers Post-Season Underperformance?

[Full Court]

The Lakers finished the season strong. They had a lot of hype behind the Luka trade. They were considered a title contender. They were betting favorites against the TWolves.

And then they got bounced in the first round.

In 5 games.

Obviously, being a team sport, there are multiple factors and the blame goes to multiple entities, but to whom do you attribute the MOST responsibility for the Lakers blowing this one?

[ShawkFactory]

Is saying that it’s a combination of everything not what you’re looking for here? No mention or care about the opponent or the matchup?

[SouBeachTalents]

Luka being a fat fvck and total defensive liability

The front office refusing to get a competent center, getting stuck with Jaxson Hayes

JJ's idiotic rotations

[Meticode]

No one. The Lakers weren't supposed to go deep in the playoffs anyway. Once the Doncic trade was made everyone was like "This is a trade for the future. Don't expect deep playoff runs right now." Then they couldn't even make the roster the way they wanted because Mark Williams failed his physical.

Then once the Lakers overperformed so many people were goo-ing and gaa-ing over it like they were going to make a deep run.

The Lakers performed how they were expected too. Wanting anything more was unrealistic.

[Full Court]

Is saying that it’s a combination of everything not what you’re looking for here? No mention or care about the opponent or the matchup?

Of course it's a combination of everything, but do you think all factors were equal? No one bears the preponderance of the blame?

[3ba11]

Is saying that it’s a combination of everything not what you’re looking for here? No mention or care about the opponent or the matchup?



https://i.makeagif.com/media/4-09-2025/m6H5wT.gif

[Nowoco]

Their regular season record towards the end made people think JJ Redick knew what he was doing. He came unstuck spectacularly in the PS.

But the short answer is all of the above.

Luka was out of shape, hurt and a traffic cone on defense.
LeBron is old. He can either defend well or play great offense but not both. And was horrible in 4th quarters.
AR-15 was unexpectedly terrible as were most of the bench.
Zero rim protection, few offensive boards, no size at all.
The whole team, collectively, were gassed late in games and it showed but with how poor their 4th quarters were.

[tpols]

Austin Reaves underperformed a bit, but mostly trash depth. If you look at what was produced after Luka, Lebron, Rui, and Reaves its literally straight up all time bad. Everybody after those 4 were total trash cans.

[tpols]

No one. The Lakers weren't supposed to go deep in the playoffs anyway. Once the Doncic trade was made everyone was like "This is a trade for the future. Don't expect deep playoff runs right now." Then they couldn't even make the roster the way they wanted because Mark Williams failed his physical.

Then once the Lakers overperformed so many people were goo-ing and gaa-ing over it like they were going to make a deep run.

The Lakers performed how they were expected too. Wanting anything more was unrealistic.

This is totally not true. The Lakers had really good odds at something entering the playoffs. Nobody expected basically a 1st round sweep. This is backed up with tons of verifiable odds data from the time.

[ShawkFactory]

https://i.makeagif.com/media/4-09-2025/m6H5wT.gif

I truly fail to see the relevancy in this whatsoever :lol

[Meticode]

This is totally not true. The Lakers had really good odds at something entering the playoffs. Nobody expected basically a 1st round sweep. This is backed up with tons of verifiable odds data from the time.

Okay. :oldlol:

[Full Court]

Okay. :oldlol:

I have to agree with tpols. Everybody was high on the Lakers....before the playoffs. Even on here, there are plenty of threads to prove that. Some people were saying they weren't legitimate contenders, but nobody expected them to get bounced in the first round.

The narrative completely changed halfway through the series.

[Nowoco]

Okay. :oldlol:

He's right?

Even the pundits were at it. Nick Wright predicted the Lakers would win the chip. Now people will say that's because he's a Klutch sports paid shill and a LeBron deepthroating bitch. But Chris Broussard thought they would come out of the west and he's impartial.

It's revisionist history to suggest the Lakers werent seen as contenders as they were. As erroneous as that turned out to be.

[Meticode]

I have to agree with tpols. Everybody was high on the Lakers....before the playoffs. Even on here, there are plenty of threads to prove that. Some people were saying they weren't legitimate contenders, but nobody expected them to get bounced in the first round.

The narrative completely changed halfway through the series.

Like I said. Everyone got high when they went on their run during the regular season. When the trade first happened people weren't high on them too win now.

The media and odds makers got suckered by a 30ish game regular season run with Luka/LeBron with an incomplete roster.

Whatever the case I don't blame anyone personally. I never thought they would make it deep in the playoffs. It happened the way I expected.

[Meticode]

He's right?

Even the pundits were at it. Nick Wright predicted the Lakers would win the chip. Now people will say that's because he's a Klutch sports paid shill and a LeBron deepthroating bitch. But Chris Broussard thought they would come out of the west and he's impartial.

It's revisionist history to suggest the Lakers werent seen as contenders as they were. As erroneous as that turned out to be.

Stopped reading when you said Nick Wright.

[3ba11]

I truly fail to see the relevancy in this whatsoever :lol


Lebron was the biggest negative on the team since the Luka trade (RS & PO), so it's his fault.

Luka made the Finals with Kyrie, but lost in the 1st Round with Lebron, so Lebron is the issue - he was a massive negative as an off-ball player since the Luka trade... 2 + 2 = 4.... but stay in denial - I know you will - you probably agree with Nick Wright that Lebron should return to Cleveland "and it wouldn't be coattailing"

[3ba11]

Stopped reading when you said Nick Wright.


Lakers were favored by everyone over the Wolves, so you're just making excuses after the fact.. It's low intelligence analysis... Losing in the 1st Round with Luka simply confirms that Lebron is BAD - he isn't good anymore.

[StrongLurk]

Lebron was the biggest negative on the team since the Luka trade (RS & PO), so it's his fault.

Luka made the Finals with Kyrie, but lost in the 1st Round with Lebron, so Lebron is the issue - he was a massive negative as an off-ball player since the Luka trade... 2 + 2 = 4.... but stay in denial - I know you will - you probably agree with Nick Wright that Lebron should return to Cleveland "and it wouldn't be coattailing"

Lebron has the highest plus/minus in playoff history. As a Lebron hater, I wouldn't try to use that stat against him, otherwise you are actually validating him as the GOAT.

Also Lebron outplayed Luka and Ant in that series as a 40-year old :lol

[Meticode]

Lakers were favored by everyone over the Wolves, so you're just making excuses after the fact.. It's low intelligence analysis... Losing in the 1st Round with Luka simply confirms that Lebron is BAD - he isn't good anymore.

I know they were favored by everyone at that time. When the trade first happened they weren't favored. They got suckered by their regular season performance after a 30 game sample of Luka+LeBron. Lakers weren't built for a deep playoff run. Thanks for proving my point.

[3ba11]

Lebron has the highest plus/minus in playoff history. As a Lebron hater, I wouldn't try to use that stat against him, otherwise you are actually validating him as the GOAT.

Also Lebron outplayed Luka and Ant in that series as a 40-year old :lol


The Heat didn't win with Lebron on the floor in the 2013 Finals because Lebron had a zero plus/minus and he was a net negative (negative net rating).

So his plus/minus is nothing compared to guys like MJ or Duncan, and he simply relies on playing many more years to camoflauge his hoops incompetence (big negative compared to MJ, Duncan, Shaq, etc).

So that kills your plus/minus argument, while the 2025 1st Round confirmed how Lebron achieves raw stats despite personally-guaranteeing loss by going scoreless in the 4th and becoming a clutch turnover machine.. TLDR: Losing in the 1st Round with Luka or AD = Lebron isn't good.

[Full Court]

Lebron has the highest plus/minus in playoff history. As a Lebron hater, I wouldn't try to use that stat against him, otherwise you are actually validating him as the GOAT.

Also Lebron outplayed Luka and Ant in that series as a 40-year old :lol

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.tenor.com%2FdKves3F8_b0AAAA M%2Fmichael-jordan-laugh.gif&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=ec8ac78f8879e8788ad76802627a9b8cf93905a4353d8d 9a0f9b10b84016ef04

This, folks, is why Bronie fluffers get ridiculed.

[kawhileonard2]

Ant outplayed Lebron.

[coin24]

Like anyone with a brain said after the trade.. they need bigs and a bench.

[starface]

Why the HELL is Lebron James even an OPTION on this poll?!

Who do you blame? This isn't a serious question, is it? You're just trying to get a rise out of people, right? Because putting Lebron's name on a list of who to blame for a team's failure is like blaming the ****ING SUN for a cloudy day! It's ASININE! It's an INSULT to basketball intelligence!

It's ****ING SACRILEGE. The man gives everything, carries scrubs year in and year out, and you want to float HIS name as a potential scapegoat?!

GET. THE. ****. OUT. OF. HERE. WITH. THAT. NONSENSE.

These guys didn't just underperform, they SABOTAGED a championship run!

I say, give Lebron the ****ING keys! Let HIM build the roster! Let HIM coach! Because clearly, NO ONE ELSE in that organization has a ING CLUE!

Mods, take Lebron's name off that poll IMMEDIATELY.

[3ba11]

Why the HELL is Lebron James even an OPTION on this poll?!

Who do you blame? This isn't a serious question, is it? You're just trying to get a rise out of people, right? Because putting Lebron's name on a list of who to blame for a team's failure is like blaming the ****ING SUN for a cloudy day! It's ASININE! It's an INSULT to basketball intelligence!

It's ****ING SACRILEGE. The man gives everything, carries scrubs year in and year out, and you want to float HIS name as a potential scapegoat?!

GET. THE. ****. OUT. OF. HERE. WITH. THAT. NONSENSE.

These guys didn't just underperform, they SABOTAGED a championship run!

I say, give Lebron the ****ING keys! Let HIM build the roster! Let HIM coach! Because clearly, NO ONE ELSE in that organization has a ING CLUE!

Mods, take Lebron's name off that poll IMMEDIATELY.


All the evidence shows that it's Lebron's fault:


* Luka made Finals last year with Kyrie

* Lebron was the biggest negative since the Luka trade, BY FAR

* Lebron was the biggest underperformer in the 4th and made it impossible to win by going scoreless and having multiple game-killing turnovers