The depressing nadir of the Lakers turbulent season landed like a curtain drop on Sunday.
With 6 minutes, 42 seconds left in the fourth quarter, LeBron James stepped into the tunnel behind the Lakers bench, his No. 23 fading in the dim light as he made the turn into the locker room, lugging the burden of the Lakers’ championship hopes with him as he stepped gingerly out of view.
James missed the Lakers’ meaningless flurry in the final 90 seconds that cut Toronto’s lead to six and allowed a miserable drubbing to be recorded as a 121-114 loss. For the Lakers, it was their sixth loss in seven games and one that leaves them ensnarled in a three-way tie for fifth place in the Western Conference and, consequentially, on the cusp of sliding out of assured playoff position and into the play-in tournament.
