LeBron and Lakers eliminated from NBA playoffs as Thunder secure sweep

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gilgeous-alexander-shai/d6TE5wgc/"]Shai Gilgeous-Alexander[/a] scored 35 points as the defending champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/los-angeles-lakers-ngegZ8bg/oklahoma-city-thunder-0fHFHEWD/?mid=IsTIudo4"]Thunder advanced to the Western Conference finals[/a] after sealing their second sweep of the postseason following a 4-0 first-round defeat of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/phoenix-suns/M1Gy2pra/"]Phoenix[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-lakers/ngegZ8bg/"]Lakers[/a] star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/james-lebron/nuIVxFJk/"]James[/a], 41, is out of contract after this season and has not yet indicated whether he plans to return for a 24th campaign next term.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/oklahoma-city-thunder/0fHFHEWD/"]Oklahoma City[/a] will face either the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-antonio-spurs/IwmkErSH/"]San Antonio Spurs[/a] or [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/minnesota-timberwolves/KjBIVQcI/"]Minnesota Timberwolves[/a] for a place in the NBA finals.[/p][p]The Spurs and Timberwolves are tied at 2-2 in their best-of-seven semi-final series.[/p][embed guid="a3514fc3-3cfb-4698-8350-d451d5f52df8" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2054082268860420508" social-type="twitter" /][p]Monday's defeat marked the end of Lakers icon James' latest bid for a fifth NBA championship, sealing a disappointing end to his record 23rd season.[/p][p]A star-studded Hollywood crowd including Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and Eddie Murphy flocked to courtside at the Crypto.com Arena to see if James could help the Lakers stave off elimination.[/p][p]But James' 24 points and 12 rebounds were in vain as the Thunder kept their nerve to hold off a spirited second-half fightback by the Lakers.[/p][p]All eyes are now on James to see whether the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player and 22-time NBA All-Star will decide whether to prolong his glittering career.[/p][embed guid="8afaaaaa-3a61-4ec8-88f4-a3b3add257cc" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2054080895183630799" social-type="twitter" /][p]James, who joined the Lakers in 2018 from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cleveland-cavaliers/xGk13Tb6/"]Cleveland[/a], will enter the offseason as an unrestricted free agent and can listen to offers if he decides to keep playing.[/p][p]Speculation has swirled over what James -- who has repeatedly said he wants to play on a team capable of challenging for championships -- will decide to do.[/p][p]Some reports have indicated he is ready to extend with the Lakers, while others have suggested that he may consider heading elsewhere or decide to retire from the sport altogether.[/p][p]The Lakers had looked in position to mount a serious title run during the final weeks of the regular season, going 15-2 in March after a string of superb performances from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doncic-luka/pQ4ZBK0o/"]Luka Doncic[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/austin-reaves/xlCMu1nk/"]Austin Reaves[/a] and James.[/p][p]However, a long-term injury in early April suffered by Doncic -- who has not played at all during the postseason -- and an injury to Reaves left the Lakers short on firepower for much of the playoffs.[/p][embed guid="9b7bcf03-1d74-476d-8094-eacb44b7fbc6" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2054081939489878131" social-type="twitter" /][p]James produced a vintage display to lead the Lakers to a surprise 4-2 series win over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/houston-rockets/Sr9PQALP/"]Houston Rockets[/a] in the first round, but even with Reaves back in the line-up, the 17-time NBA champions were convincingly beaten by Oklahoma City.[/p]