LeBron James’ retirement hint after playoff exit sends NBA world into meltdown

LeBron James fell short on Tuesday as his NBA season came to a historic end before he delivered a cryptic post-game message.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 20: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to a call during the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets in game three of the Western Conference Finals at Crypto.com Arena on May 20, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by KEVORK DJANSEZIAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

Nikola Jokic led a second-half fightback as the Denver Nuggets completed a 4-0 Western Conference championship sweep over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.

Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic finished with 30 points after the Nuggets overturned a 15-point halftime deficit to send LeBron James and the Lakers crashing out of the postseason with a 113-111 victory at the Crypto.com Arena.

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James had looked to be single-handedly keeping the Lakers’ season alive after scoring 31 points in a magnificent first-half display that left the 17-time NBA champions leading 73-58 at halftime.

But Jokic and the Nuggets bounced back emphatically in the second half to put the Lakers on the ropes and advance with a 113-111 win.

With four seconds remaining James had one last chance to tie it up and force overtime, but his attempted driving floater was blocked by Denver’s Aaron Gordon to leave the Nuggets celebrating a famous win.

Jokic recorded his eighth triple-double of the postseason as he surpassed Wilt Chamberlain’s record of seven which had stood for 56 years.

Nikola Jokic, Western Conference Finals MVP and recipient of the Earvin 'Magic' Johnson Trophy, shines in the Game 4 win!

30 PTS, 14 REB, 13 AST, 3 BLK 🔥

Game 1 of the #NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV is Thursday, 6/1 a 8:30 PM ET on ABC! pic.twitter.com/4vHSLjRxzr

— NBA (@NBA) May 23, 2023

The 38-year-old James finished with 40 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for the Lakers in a heroic attempt to keep the series alive.

But the Lakers’ supporting cast once again failed to step up when it mattered, with a series of missed baskets in the fourth quarter allowing the Nuggets to hold on to their slender advantage to clinch victory.

James delivered a cryptic message following the playoff exit with seven words leaving many believing his future could be coming to an end.

“I’ve got a lot to think about,” James said.

NBA journalist Chris Haynes reported that James is “unsure if he’ll be with team when 2023-24 season starts in fall and retirement is under consideration”.

LeBron on the future: "I've got a lot to think about... Just for me personally going forward with the game of basketball, I've got a lot to think about" pic.twitter.com/MXqhuEWJly

— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) May 23, 2023

LeBron James to ESPN on his thought process going into the offseason:
Q: When you say you got to think about stuff, what thread should we be pulling on that?
A: "If I want to continue to play."
Q: As in next year?
A: "Yeah."
Q: You would walk away?
A: "I got to think about it."

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) May 23, 2023

Denver — one of 11 teams in the league who have never won the NBA championship — will face either the Miami Heat or Boston Celtics in the finals.

Miami, leading Boston 3-0, can clinch their place in the finals with a victory at home on Wednesday.

“We don’t give up,” Jokic told ESPN. “I’ve been saying this for five years — when we were bad or when we were good — we don’t give up. And that’s what happened today.

“They jumped on us the first half, they were better, more aggressive, scoring easily and didn’t miss basically.

“But in the second half we turned the page and everybody stepped up. It was a collective effort, it’s not just one guy.”

The Nuggets are in the NBA Finals. Harry How/Getty Images/AFP.

Lakers head coach Darvin Ham said his team had paid the price for not making enough shots, praising Denver’s ruthlessness down the stretch.

“The sign of a great team is if you make any mistake, they’re going to make you pay for it,” Ham said. “And they did just that.” Ham, who was appointed last year with a brief to rebuild the Lakers after a dismal failure to reach the playoffs, insisted that the NBA giants were on the right path.

“This is year one,” Ham said. “Losing sucks, but I think we can do something special here.”

The Nuggets will head into the finals brimming with confidence that they can end their near-half-century wait for a maiden NBA crown after another composed all-round performance proved too much for the Lakers.

The first game of the NBA Finals will take place on June 2 at 10:30am (AEST).

Originally published as LeBron James’ retirement hint after playoff exit sends NBA world into meltdown