LeBron James said he does not yet know what comes next after the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the NBA playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 41-year-old, whose contract expires this summer, spoke about taking time with his family before deciding whether he will continue playing after the Lakers’ season ended with a 115-110 defeat at Crypto.com Arena.
James explained that his decision will depend on whether he still feels fully committed to the demanding daily preparation required to compete. He said the process of arriving hours before tip-off and maintaining his routine remains central to any choice he makes, adding that once he reaches a conclusion, it will become clear publicly.
Legendary career leaves nothing to prove
Recognised as one of basketball’s all-time greats, James is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and has collected four championships along with four MVP awards. Following the loss, he said he has already accomplished everything possible in the league and no longer has anything left to demonstrate.
Even so, James stressed that chasing titles and continuing to compete at the highest level are still the key reasons for playing. Against Oklahoma City, he finished with 24 points, but it was not enough to prevent the reigning champions from completing a 4-0 series victory in the Western Conference semi-finals.
Thunder continue dominant title defence
Oklahoma City maintained its commanding postseason run by sweeping the Lakers after also defeating the Phoenix Suns 4-0 in the opening round. Current MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander once again led the way, producing 35 points and eight assists in the series-clinching win.
The Thunder now move into the Western Conference final, where they will face either the Minnesota Timberwolves or the San Antonio Spurs. That semifinal remains tied at 2-2 as Oklahoma City waits to learn its next opponent.
Cavaliers fight back as Mitchell matches record
In the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers revived their series by defeating the Detroit Pistons 112-103 at home to even the matchup at 2-2 after dropping the opening two contests. Donovan Mitchell delivered a remarkable performance, scoring 43 points to keep Cleveland’s hopes alive.
Mitchell produced 39 points in the second half alone, matching the postseason record for points in one half set by Golden State Warriors player Eric Floyd in 1987. The winner of the Cavaliers-Pistons series will progress to meet the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference final.