🚨 “I Don’t Know” — LeBron James Responds to Retirement Questions After Lakers’ Playoff Exit 🏀👑

🚨 “I Don’t Know” — LeBron James Responds to Retirement Questions After Lakers’ Playoff Exit 🏀👑

Chet Holmgren of the Thunder dunks the ball against LeBron James of the Lakers.

The Los Angeles Lakers saw their season come to a disappointing end Tuesday night after being swept 4-0 by the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals.

Despite another strong performance from LeBron James, the Lakers fell 115-110 in Game 4 at home, ending a season that briefly appeared capable of becoming something far more significant after the team battled through injuries late in the year.

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball.

James, now 41 years old, finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds while continuing to perform at an elite level deep into his career. However, Los Angeles struggled without injured superstar Luka Doncic, who missed the final 15 games of the season due to a grade two hamstring strain suffered earlier in the series.

Following the loss, James once again declined to give clarity on whether he intends to continue playing next season.

“I don’t know what the future holds for me,” James said after the game. “I’ll go back and recalibrate with my family and talk with them, spend some time with them and when the time comes, you guys will know what I decide to do.”

The four-time NBA champion has repeatedly stated throughout the season that he has not yet made a final decision regarding retirement. Because of that uncertainty, there was no farewell ceremony before what could potentially become the final game of his legendary career.

The Thunder were led by reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 35 points, while emerging guard Ajay Mitchell added 28 points on efficient shooting.

Actors Kevin Connolly, Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn at Crypto.com Arena.Oklahoma City improved to 8-0 in the playoffs and advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where they will face either the San Antonio Spurs or the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Lakers had opportunities late in Game 4, including a missed driving bank shot by James with 20 seconds remaining that could have given Los Angeles the lead. Austin Reaves also missed a potential game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds after scoring 27 points.

Jaxson Hayes of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a slam dunk.

Los Angeles ultimately lost six of its final seven playoff games and failed to reach the conference finals for a third consecutive season.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Eastern Conference semifinals, Donovan Mitchell delivered one of the most explosive playoff halves in NBA history, scoring 39 second-half points to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 112-103 win over the Detroit Pistons and tie their series 2-2.

Mitchell finished with 43 points overall, matching the NBA playoff record for points in a single half previously set by Sleepy Floyd in 1987. Cleveland also produced a decisive 24-0 run spanning the end of the first half and start of the third quarter.

Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff criticized the officiating afterward, pointing to the free-throw disparity after Mitchell attempted 15 free throws while Detroit as a team attempted only 12.

“There is no way one guy on their team should have more free throws than our team,” Bickerstaff said. “Ever since we came to Cleveland, the whistle has changed.”

Game 5 between Cleveland and Detroit is scheduled for Wednesday night in Detroit with the series now tied 2-2.