The NBA playoffs will not see LeBron James, Kevin Durant or Stephen Curry in the second round for the first time since 2005. James and the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated in five games by the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.
This came after Durant and the Phoenix Suns were swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. Of course, Curry and the Golden State Warriors failed to make the playoffs as the 10th seed in the Western Conference with a 46-36 record.
In the Lakers’ 108-106 Game 5 loss to Denver, James drained two free throws to even the score at 106 with 26 seconds left. After a timeout, Nuggets star Jamal Murray advanced the ball on a high screen-and-roll to his left and swished the game-winning shot.
No LeBron, KD or Steph in the second round for the first time since 2005. pic.twitter.com/eH2Oa9h4Pd
— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 30, 2024
“First of all, tip your hat to them,” James said. “Defending champions. They’re great team. Super-well coached and made the plays down the stretch to win the series. You give credit where credit is due, that’s for sure.”
Jamal Murray hit the game-winning buzzer-beater in Game 2 and series-winning field goal with four seconds left in Game 5. According to ESPN Stats & Information, he became the first player in the last 25 seasons with multiple go-ahead field goals in the final five seconds of a single playoff series.
LeBron James has lost two first-round playoff series across his 21-year career, Kevin Durant swept twice in last three playoffs
Furthermore, the Lakers also lost in the first round for the first time since 2021 against Phoenix. James hasn’t appeared in the NBA Finals with Los Angeles since the Orlando Bubble in 2020.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our crew despite everything that happened,” said Lakers coach Darvin Ham. “Obviously, the series didn’t go in our favor, didn’t start the way we wanted it to, but to win that one at home, fight tooth and nail today to get this one, our guys showed a lot of guts and a lot of character.”
Meanwhile, Kevin Durant has now been swept twice in his last three playoffs — both in the first round. With the Brooklyn Nets, the 14-time All-Star lost four straight to the Boston Celtics in 2022.
The last time none of LeBron James, Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant made it past the first round these things didn’t exist pic.com/p23sjqiIc8
— Automatic (@automaticnba) April 30, 2024
Durant and the Suns lost 122-116 to the Timberwolves in Game 4 on Sunday. The 16-year veteran went 13 straight seasons without a sweep from 2007-08 to 2020-21.
When asked about his future, Durant hinted that he enjoys playing with Phoenix.
Stephen Curry also missed the playoffs for the sixth time of his 15-year career and first since 2021.
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, LeBron James may opt out of his current contract to become a free agent for the first time since 2018.
