LeBron James reveals why the Lakers were doomed this season

The Los Angeles Lakers season has come to an early end. They couldn’t get past the reigning NBA champions in the first round, losing to the Denver Nuggets in just five games.

Notably, this was pretty much the same roster that made it to the Western Conference Finals last season, and while they added more depth in the offseason, the core was essentially the same.

The Lakers clearly missed Jarred Vanderbilt’s defense, and they could’ve used Gabe Vincent’s pesky presence as well. However, according to LeBron James, that wasn’t what doomed them.

LeBron James Says Lakers Couldn’t Shoot

In the latest edition of his ‘Mind the Game’ podcast with JJ Redick, James claimed that the Lakers were always doomed to failure because they couldn’t knock down shots:

“We couldn’t shoot,” James said. “We always say the law of averages is going to even itself out. The first month and a half, two months we couldn’t hit the side of a f***ing cow’s ass from three-point [range]. We couldn’t.”

James later poked fun at those who talk about the Lakers’ suspiciously large free-throw differential, stating that any team that can’t shoot will have to drive to the rim and get fouled:

“We’re 29th in three-points attempted and people are complaining while we’re top five in free throw attempts, ’cause that’s what we do,” the four-time NBA champion continued.

What’s Next For The Lakers?

The Lakers know have LeBron’s input on what’s missing for their roster, and they should be able to address those needs in the offseason. They could look to trade for a big-time player, or add more solid role guys around their stars.

Whatever the case, the Lakers should continue to be a playoff team for as long as Anthony Davis and LeBron are out there and healthy. Whether that’s going to be enough against Nikola Jokic and company remains to be seen.