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When the Phoenix Suns eliminated the LA Lakers from the NBA Playoffs on Thursday, it marked the first time that a LeBron James team failed to advance past the first round. The four-time MVP had missed the postseason three times before but he had never been booted out of the opening round in his 18-year career.
Coming into the 2020-21 season, the LA Lakers were heavily favored to repeat as NBA champions after running roughshod over the competition in the bubble last year. But once the season started and the injuries started to mount, it was clear that it would take a miracle for the Purple and Gold to repeat.
High expectations for LeBron James
Any time that LeBron James is on a team, fans anticipate him to carry that squad to the NBA Playoffs and beyond. The measure of excellence that is expected of him is high because he has a track record of lifting teams to heights previously unknown.
But there have been moments in the past when his teams failed to live up to these expectations. Let’s take a look at five times that this has happened in LeBron James’ career:
#5 2010 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Cleveland Cavaliers)
A 61-21 record in the 2009-10 season earned the Cleveland Cavaliers the right to have home court advantage throughout the playoffs. LeBron James received his second consecutive MVP Award. And he had former All-Star forward Antawn Jamison, plus a serviceable albeit aging Shaquille O’Neal on his roster.
Everything seemed ripe for LeBron James to capture his first title until the Eastern Conference Semifinals arrived. The Cavs and Boston Celtics were tied 2-2 in the series with the pivotal Game 5 in Cleveland.
By the game’s end, James had scored just 15 points on a frigid 3-of-14 shooting from the field. The Cavs promptly lost 120-88 in one of the most bizarre games of his career. Despite a triple-double performance in Game 6 by James, the Wine and Gold bowed out of the playoffs in a 94-85 defeat in Boston.
Months later, LeBron James announced via The Decision that he was "taking his talents to South Beach".
#4 2009 Eastern Conference Finals (Cleveland Cavaliers)
LeBron James’ 2008-09 Cavaliers had the best record in the NBA at 66-16, which was also the best mark in franchise history. James captured the MVP for the first time in his career and his team had just swept their first two opponents in the playoffs.
In the Eastern Conference Finals, they faced a 59-23 Orlando Magic team bannered by Dwight Howard, who led the league in rebounds and blocks during the regular season. LeBron James averaged 38.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks per game in the ECF, but he had very little help.
Howard dominated the paint in the series and saved his best for last. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year had a monster 40-point, 14-rebound outing in Game 6 as the Magic advanced to the Finals by defeating the Cavs 4-2.
#3 2014 NBA Finals (Miami Heat)
Gunning for a third straight championship, the 2013-14 Miami Heat seemed destined to be a dynasty in the making.
After dismissing their opponents in the first three rounds, LeBron James and company met with a familiar opponent — the San Antonio Spurs, whom the Heat defeated 4-3 in the Finals the previous year.
Though the Spurs had the superior record at 62-20, no one could have foreseen that the Heat would fold easily in the Finals. After the series was tied 1-1 after two games, San Antonio routed Miami in the next three games to capture the title. LeBron James averaged 28.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in the Finals but Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were a shell of themselves.
#2 2021 Western Conference 1st Round (LA Lakers)
The most recent defeat by a LeBron James team will sting for a long time. The Lakers were only the seventh seed in the West because of various health issues during the regular season.
In the playoffs, the injury bug hit the team again when Anthony Davis suffered a groin injury in Game 4 of their first-round series against the Suns. James, who was obviously still not 100 percent from a severely sprained ankle, tried to carry the team on his back. But the 36-year-old could only muster just 23.3 points a night for the series.
Nonetheless, the rest of the team had to shoulder much of the blame as they shot a horrid 29.9 percent from 3-point range in six games.
#1 2011 NBA Finals (Miami Heat)
The Miami Heat were heavily favored to win the 2011 title after forming a super team in the offseason with Wade, James and Bosh.
The Heat were ahead 2-1 against the Dallas Mavericks heading into Game 4 with LeBron James playing so-so basketball. Everything went downhill for the future Hall of Famer from there.
In the worst playoff game of his career, James scored a measly eight points on 3-of-11 shooting in Game 4 as the Heat lost 86-83. They would go on to lose the series 4-2, as the 6-foot-9 forward had his lowest-scoring postseason series ever with 17.8 points per game.
It was a disappointing loss to an otherwise promising season for LeBron James and the Heat. To this day, the 2011 Finals is remembered as James’ greatest failure.
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