The Los Angeles Lakers have avoided getting swept by the Denver Nuggets for the second consecutive postseason. Facing elimination and another embarrassment in Game 4 of their first-round series against the Nuggets on Saturday night, the Lakers displayed a remarkable resilience and came up with a 119-108 win.

Prior to Saturday, the Lakers lost 11 consecutive games against the Nuggets. They were swept in the 2023 Western Conference Finals, lost all four regular-season games in the 2023-24 season, and then fell down 3-0 at the start of this year’s playoff series.

But in Game 4, the Lakers found a spark. They finished the first quarter with a five-point lead and never trailed again. LA’s superstar LeBron James led the way with 30 points, five rebounds, and four assists, while Anthony Davis added 25 points and 23 rebounds. This proved enough to overcome another monster outing by Nuggets’ superstar Nikola Jokic, who had 33 points, 14 rebounds, and 14 assists.

Speaking with reports after the game, James said that the Lakers gave themselves “another life” with a win.

“The only opportunity for us is just to play the next game,” LeBron James said. “And we’ve given ourselves another life. We’ve given ourselves another lifeline, and it’s a one-game series for us.”

However, the Lakers are still facing a massive challenge. In order to advance to the second round, they would need to become the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a playoff series. The Lakers and the Nuggets are playing again on Monday night in another elimination game for the LA team.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are managing to keep their head above water as they wait for their star LeBron James to return to action. The LA team grabbed an important 116-111 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night, improving to a 37-37 record and being .500 for the first time this season.

The Lakers saw a big night from Anthony Davis against the OKC, with the big man delivering one of his best performances in 2022-23. Davis finished the night with 37 points and 15 rebounds while being 15-21 from the field. Guards Dennis Schroder and Lonnie Walker added 21 points and 20 points, respectively.

The Lakers have now won seven out of their last 10 games and find themselves in a much better position than they were ahead of the NBA trade deadline. They are currently sitting at No.8 in the West, tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves at No.7. They trail the sixth-seeded Golden State Warriors by 1.5 games.

“We just have to approach these last eight games like we’ve been doing since the deadline,” said Lakers coach Darvin Ham after the OKC game. “Each game is its own entity. We just have to approach each game and pour all of ourselves into each particular game. We’ll continue to carry on as such. Now instead of constantly facing a deficit, we get to create a surplus.”

The Thunder, on the other hand, missed an opportunity to solidify their Play-In chances. They are at No. 10 but have the Dallas Mavericks and the Utah Jazz breathing down their neck.

The post Anthony Davis Stars Against OKC as the LA Lakers Hit .500 for the First Time in 2022-23 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Los Angeles Lakers will miss the playoffs this season and the first casualty will likely be head coach Frank Vogel. According to Bleacher Report‘s Jake Fischer, the Lakers intend to fire Vogel after the end of the season and will have a new head coach for 2022-23.

Vogel led the Lakers to the NBA title in 2019-20 but followed that up with two disappointing campaigns. Last season, the LA team was eliminated in the first round of playoffs, while this season, they have failed even to reach the play-in tournament. The Lakers are currently 11th in Western Conference with a 31-48 record and can’t catch the San Antonio Spurs at No. 10 anymore.

With Vogel at the exit door, the Lakers are expected to look into several high-profile candidates. According to NBA correspondent Marc Stein, one frequently mentioned name is Utah Jazz’s Quin Snyder. With the Jazz playing below expectations this season, Snyder might be tempted to explore other options if their campaign ends badly.

Another candidate is Philadelphia 76ers’ Doc Rivers. While Rivers is doing a good job at the moment, his future in Philly will depend on his ability to make a deep playoff run. Current Golden State Warriors Mike Brown and former Orlando Magic head coach Steve Clifford are also believed to be in the mix.

The post Lakers Expected to Fire Head Coach Frank Vogel After Missing the Playoffs appeared first on SportzBonanza.

LeBron James is still by many the best basketball player in the world, but despite this, there is a big chance we won’t see him in the playoffs this year. His Los Angeles Lakers are currently sitting 11^th in the standings in Western Conference and are 6.5 games from the playoff spot. Following Tuesday’s 123-107 win over the Chicago Bulls, James acknowledged this himself saying that his team’s chances of making the playoffs are “slim.”   

“Obviously, I would love for the team to be in the postseason,” – said James. “Even if I’m not a part of it, the postseason I’ve always loved. But right now, it’s not the hand I was dealt, so you play the hand that you were dealt until the dealer shuffles the cards and you’re dealt another hand and can do that.”

James made his first playoff appearance in 2006 with Cleveland Cavaliers and made it to the postseason every year after that.

“Definitely, I’ll be watching it if we’re not in there, and it looks like our chances are slim to none after each and every game, and so many teams in the West are playing well,” –  the 34-year-old star added. “So you try to get better, but this won’t be the last time I’ll be in the postseason.”

LeBron James joined the Los Angeles Lakers on a four-year, $154 million contract last summer, hoping to have a better chance at winning another NBA Championship. Although going for a title in the 2018/19 wasn’t expected, both James and the franchise believed they can make a good playoff run. This is now unlikely to happen, and they will have to look to make amends in the next season when Lakers hope they’ll lure another superstar to join James in Los Angeles.

In his first season with the Lakers, James is currently averaging 27.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game.

The post LeBron James Admits Lakers’ Have “Slim” Chances of Making the Playoffs appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Los Angeles Lakers have avoided getting swept by the Denver Nuggets for the second consecutive postseason. Facing elimination and another embarrassment in Game 4 of their first-round series against the Nuggets on Saturday night, the Lakers displayed a remarkable resilience and came up with a 119-108 win.

Prior to Saturday, the Lakers lost 11 consecutive games against the Nuggets. They were swept in the 2023 Western Conference Finals, lost all four regular-season games in the 2023-24 season, and then fell down 3-0 at the start of this year’s playoff series.

But in Game 4, the Lakers found a spark. They finished the first quarter with a five-point lead and never trailed again. LA’s superstar LeBron James led the way with 30 points, five rebounds, and four assists, while Anthony Davis added 25 points and 23 rebounds. This proved enough to overcome another monster outing by Nuggets’ superstar Nikola Jokic, who had 33 points, 14 rebounds, and 14 assists.

Speaking with reports after the game, James said that the Lakers gave themselves “another life” with a win.

“The only opportunity for us is just to play the next game,” LeBron James said. “And we’ve given ourselves another life. We’ve given ourselves another lifeline, and it’s a one-game series for us.”

However, the Lakers are still facing a massive challenge. In order to advance to the second round, they would need to become the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a playoff series. The Lakers and the Nuggets are playing again on Monday night in another elimination game for the LA team.

The post Lakers Avoid Sweep With Game 4 Win Over the Nuggets appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Los Angeles Lakers are managing to keep their head above water as they wait for their star LeBron James to return to action. The LA team grabbed an important 116-111 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night, improving to a 37-37 record and being .500 for the first time this season.

The Lakers saw a big night from Anthony Davis against the OKC, with the big man delivering one of his best performances in 2022-23. Davis finished the night with 37 points and 15 rebounds while being 15-21 from the field. Guards Dennis Schroder and Lonnie Walker added 21 points and 20 points, respectively.

The Lakers have now won seven out of their last 10 games and find themselves in a much better position than they were ahead of the NBA trade deadline. They are currently sitting at No.8 in the West, tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves at No.7. They trail the sixth-seeded Golden State Warriors by 1.5 games.

“We just have to approach these last eight games like we’ve been doing since the deadline,” said Lakers coach Darvin Ham after the OKC game. “Each game is its own entity. We just have to approach each game and pour all of ourselves into each particular game. We’ll continue to carry on as such. Now instead of constantly facing a deficit, we get to create a surplus.”

The Thunder, on the other hand, missed an opportunity to solidify their Play-In chances. They are at No. 10 but have the Dallas Mavericks and the Utah Jazz breathing down their neck.

The post Anthony Davis Stars Against OKC as the LA Lakers Hit .500 for the First Time in 2022-23 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Los Angeles Lakers will miss the playoffs this season and the first casualty will likely be head coach Frank Vogel. According to Bleacher Report‘s Jake Fischer, the Lakers intend to fire Vogel after the end of the season and will have a new head coach for 2022-23.

Vogel led the Lakers to the NBA title in 2019-20 but followed that up with two disappointing campaigns. Last season, the LA team was eliminated in the first round of playoffs, while this season, they have failed even to reach the play-in tournament. The Lakers are currently 11th in Western Conference with a 31-48 record and can’t catch the San Antonio Spurs at No. 10 anymore.

With Vogel at the exit door, the Lakers are expected to look into several high-profile candidates. According to NBA correspondent Marc Stein, one frequently mentioned name is Utah Jazz’s Quin Snyder. With the Jazz playing below expectations this season, Snyder might be tempted to explore other options if their campaign ends badly.

Another candidate is Philadelphia 76ers’ Doc Rivers. While Rivers is doing a good job at the moment, his future in Philly will depend on his ability to make a deep playoff run. Current Golden State Warriors Mike Brown and former Orlando Magic head coach Steve Clifford are also believed to be in the mix.

The post Lakers Expected to Fire Head Coach Frank Vogel After Missing the Playoffs appeared first on SportzBonanza.

LeBron James is still by many the best basketball player in the world, but despite this, there is a big chance we won’t see him in the playoffs this year. His Los Angeles Lakers are currently sitting 11^th in the standings in Western Conference and are 6.5 games from the playoff spot. Following Tuesday’s 123-107 win over the Chicago Bulls, James acknowledged this himself saying that his team’s chances of making the playoffs are “slim.”   

“Obviously, I would love for the team to be in the postseason,” – said James. “Even if I’m not a part of it, the postseason I’ve always loved. But right now, it’s not the hand I was dealt, so you play the hand that you were dealt until the dealer shuffles the cards and you’re dealt another hand and can do that.”

James made his first playoff appearance in 2006 with Cleveland Cavaliers and made it to the postseason every year after that.

“Definitely, I’ll be watching it if we’re not in there, and it looks like our chances are slim to none after each and every game, and so many teams in the West are playing well,” –  the 34-year-old star added. “So you try to get better, but this won’t be the last time I’ll be in the postseason.”

LeBron James joined the Los Angeles Lakers on a four-year, $154 million contract last summer, hoping to have a better chance at winning another NBA Championship. Although going for a title in the 2018/19 wasn’t expected, both James and the franchise believed they can make a good playoff run. This is now unlikely to happen, and they will have to look to make amends in the next season when Lakers hope they’ll lure another superstar to join James in Los Angeles.

In his first season with the Lakers, James is currently averaging 27.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game.

The post LeBron James Admits Lakers’ Have “Slim” Chances of Making the Playoffs appeared first on SportzBonanza.