The Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff run last season ended when two-time champion Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the Denver Nuggets eliminated them in the first round. Turns out, his admission about that series caused a lot of LA fans to get hurt about that series, including one of the team’s former stars, Lamar Odom.
The Lakers’ season came to an end as they were eliminated from the NBA playoffs by the Nuggets in Game 5. The Nuggets secured a 108-106 victory at Ball Arena, with Jamal Murray hitting the game-winning shot in the final seconds.
The Lakers fought hard, with James scoring 30 points and Anthony Davis contributing 17 points and 15 rebounds, despite suffering a left shoulder injury during the game. However, the Nuggets’ resilience and clutch performance by Murray proved too much for the Lakers to overcome.
This loss marks the second time in six seasons that the Lakers have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, and the fourth time they have failed to reach the postseason altogether. The franchise’s championship victory in the 2020 NBA bubble seems like a distant memory as they now find themselves in a state of uncertainty.
The Lakers’ struggles have been a disappointment for their loyal fanbase, who will be hoping for a return to their former glory in the coming years. Fortunately, the front office has locked most of the roster up for next season, particularly James.
Lamar Odom Pained Over Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s Los Angeles Lakers Confession
Just recently, Caldwell-Pope appeared on the Draymond Green Show and admitted the Lakers should have won against them in the playoffs. This led Odom to share his thoughts in a tweet he posted on his official X account.
“Had them in every game🫠, this hurts to hear this Laker country lol.(shout out KCP man, I don’t know we let that kind of shooter walk away in the first place),” Odom tweeted.
During that interview, KCP said that the Nuggets were gassed by the end of the regular season and they felt that LeBron James’ Lakers will win the series. However, Los Angeles fumbled the ball and got eliminated by Denver in four games to one.
Lakers fans, Odom included, will have to accept their loss last playoffs, no matter how painful it is. Fortunately, the team has retained most of its core and made key additions, putting them in a position to contend again next season.
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