LeBron: 'We got our ass kicked'
Four-time NBA Champion LeBron James has found himself in uncharted territory.
The Los Angeles Lakers are on the brink of a first-round elimination courtesy of Tuesday's 115-85 beatdown by the Phoenix Suns, and as it turns out, James wasn't too fond of his team's performance.
"We got our ass kicked. It's just that simple," James said post-game, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.
"They got to whatever they wanted to get to in this game. We got to be better, obviously, if we want to force a Game 7."
The feat is easier said than done for the defending champions, especially if James' partner in crime Anthony Davis misses a second successive game due to a groin concern.
For James, a potential first-round exit would mark an unfamiliar postseason arc for a player who has appeared in 10 of the last 14 NBA Finals. There's no escaping the fact that this playoff run has been in stark contrast to the 18-year veteran's other dalliances with postseason play.
Los Angeles trailed 66-36 at the half in Phoenix on Tuesday, the largest halftime margin deficit of James' playoff career and the second-largest in the Lakers' storied franchise history.
The defeat also marks the first time that James' side has lost two consecutive first-round games in his career, and his 14-0 first-round series record is at risk unless L.A. can win the last two contests.
"I mean, it's literally win or go home at that point," four-time Finals MVP James said. "So, you shoot all the bullets you got and throw the gun too. So, I look forward to the environment."
James posted 24 points on 9 of 19 shooting with seven assists. All but seven of those points came in the third quarter, where the Lakers outscored the Suns 27-26. James and the rest of L.A.'s starters were spared participation in the final frame, and the 36-year-old was quick to head back to the locker room for treatment during the fourth quarter.
With their backs against the wall, the Lakers host the Suns on Thursday at the Staples Center for Game 6, knowing anything less than a victory will represent a massive failure for the team.
"Obviously, our Laker faithful are going to give us a lot of energy, and I look forward to the moment, look forward to the challenge, and we'll see if it brings out the best in me and my teammates."