The 121-110 defeat – the Lakers’ seventh in a row – guarantees their frustrating season will not extend beyond the three games left on their schedule.
PHOENIX — It shouldn’t have come to this.
A season that began with title-contending proclamations finally came tumbling down, as the Lakers lost, 121-110, to the league-leading Phoenix Suns and were eliminated from the postseason with three games still remaining in the regular season. It was the Lakers’ seventh consecutive loss, all of them coming in games with increasingly severe stakes.
On a fast break, Chris Paul tossed a lob to Mikal Bridges, who flexed and bellowed underneath the basket with his team up by 24. Coach Frank Vogel called a timeout, and his team trudged back to the bench with their heads cast down – already beaten in spirit with more than 15 minutes left. The Lakers had killed their own hopes in the last week, falling to the Pelicans twice, both home and away.
The Lakers made their big move in July, trading for Westbrook while leaving other possible deals on the table. Around the “Big Three,” they assembled a veteran-laden roster with nine players 32 or older, including five who were at least 35 years old. While this philosophy was met with some public skepticism, the Lakers brashly declared their experience as a distinct advantage.
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