LeBron James did not mince words when discussing why the Los Angeles Lakers were so overmatched by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Playoffs.
The Lakers fell victim to a 4-0 sweep at the hands of the Thunder, and in the latest episode of his “Mind the Game” podcast, James said he felt the Lakers had done the best they could. The Thunder simply had more talent.
“Understanding this year, we fought and we played to the maximum ability of our team,” James said, via Khobi Price of the New York Post. “But ultimately, if we’re being completely honest, we were out-talented.”
The Lakers did not have Luka Doncic at their disposal against the Thunder, which certainly made a difference. Even if he had been available, however, the depth of Oklahoma City’s talent might have been too much for the Lakers.
James seemingly knew this as early as February, when he said the Thunder were in a different class than the Lakers. Realistically, that might not change anytime soon, which could drive James to look for a new team this summer.
