The Lakers enter Monday’s Game 4 against the Nuggets facing elimination. LeBron James and company need a big win at home to keep their season alive, though historically, a 3–0 deficit has proven insurmountable in the NBA playoffs.
Prior to Game 4, Stephen A. Smith discussed on ESPN’s NBA Countdown what a Western Conference finals sweep would mean for James’s legacy.
“It would be an official stamp on the belief that LeBron James will never capture a fifth ring. It’s really that simple,” said Smith. “This team is not good enough, and it’s not going to be good enough in the future without some tweaks.”
Mike Greenberg: "What would it mean if [The Lakers] get swept?"
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) May 23, 2023
Stephen A. Smith: "It would be an official stamp on the belief that LeBron James will never capture a 5th ring. It's really that simple."
Do you agree with SAS? 🤔pic.twitter.com/mtyA8F85Mk
James has been to the NBA Finals 10 times throughout his 20-year career, winning a total of four rings, including one with the Lakers in 2020. Barring a miracle series reversal never before seen in the history of the sport, James and Los Angeles figure to fall short of a championship in 2023, and Smith made clear he thinks the ship has sailed for the four-time MVP in terms of procuring another title.
