It’s the third weekend of April, and during normal times, that means the start of the NBA playoffs.
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James lamented that fact today on social media.
James, of course, missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2005 in what was a hugely disappointing season for the Purple and Gold.
This season, the Lakers had amassed a 49-14 record when the season was suspended due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
But even more than that, they had just established themselves as perhaps the favorites to win the NBA championship.
The weekend before the suspension of the schedule, the Lakers had defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, owners of the league’s best record, and the Los Angeles Clippers in succession.
Two weeks before that, the Purple and Gold also downed the Boston Celtics, 114-112, on national TV.
The Lakers, as it stands now, are fourth in offensive efficiency and third in defensive rating. They’re also second in fast-break points per game, as they had brought Showtime back to Tinseltown.
The Purple and Gold last won the world championship in 2010 and haven’t appeared in the playoffs since 2012.
