Those hoping to see a display of sportsmanship from LeBron James at the conclusion of the Lakers-Nuggets playoff series were left disappointed.
The Lakers’ season ended abruptly on Monday night with a narrow 108-106 defeat to the Denver Nuggets in Game 5 of their first-round series. Despite leading for most of the game, the Lakers were undone by a last-second shot from Jamal Murray, who secured the win for the Nuggets with just 3.6 seconds remaining.
Immediately after the game ended, James was captured by the TNT broadcast swiftly exiting to the locker room without engaging in post-game handshakes with any Nuggets players. However, other Lakers players like Anthony Davis and Taurean Prince remained on the court to exchange handshakes with their opponents.
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Additionally, during the game, James had a confrontation with a fan who was heckling him, responding dramatically to her taunts.
This behavior is consistent with past incidents where James has exited the court without engaging in handshakes after playoff losses, including a similar instance during last year’s playoffs against the Nuggets.
While James’ actions have been a pattern over his career, it’s unfortunate that he chose not to join his teammates in congratulating the Nuggets after a closely contested series, especially as the Nuggets exhibited commendable sportsmanship throughout.
