Lakers and Nets, a story of two great disappointments: when not everything is gathering stars

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Between those predictions and this reality, an abyss.

On paper, back in October, in the bets and the collective imagination, only the NBA Finals were drawn, from a movie.

Between the glamour, the media focus and the sporting morbidity, everything pointed to a dispute for the ring of audiences fired between the Lakers and the Nets, to which

more powerful.

But already in March and after the Ecuador that the

represents , that train wreck is not just a chimera: it may be difficult to see one of the two franchises even in the playoffs.

There are boos at Staples, now Crypto.com Arena, and in Brooklyn there is no trace of

anymore .

The Lakers, total depression, four run losses, eight in the last 10 games, are one step away from being left out even of the positions that give access to the suicidal

;

of the Nuggets that mark the playoff are an insurmountable distance.

Not even the infinite effort of

is capable of straightening out one of the great disappointments of recent times in the NBA.

At the other end, the Nets were first in the East for nothing, but everything became rare in a few days and now they are a sea of ​​unknowns.

's injury

they have lost 16 of 21 games and have dropped to a red-alarm eighth spot.

"I don't see myself as a savior," says the forward, already back.

Kevin Durant, on his return, against the Heat. John MinchilloAP

The situation is not so dramatic in Brooklyn, although today they seem light years away from the Heat, the champion Bucks or even those unleashed Sixers of Harden and

.

It is true that in the transfer with the Philadelphians that trio that promised glory and that did not even have the opportunity to shine between Durant, la Barba and

vanished , but the point guard already plays the games away from home - it is not ruled out that for the playoffs have already lifted the bans on the unvaccinated in New York state - and sooner or later

will have to appear .

If a glimmer of hope is sensed in those of

, nothing good surrounds the Lakers, who since last January 18 have been unable to win two games in a row.

The bubble champions of 2019 do not raise their heads.

increases his crystal legend by chaining injuries -currently, a sprain;

he has played just over half of the games this season,

doesn't fit in and LeBron, despite his thunderous numbers at 37, is desperate.

He is averaging 28.8 points, eight rebounds and 6.2 assists and would be in the MVP race if it weren't for his team's record.

In addition, he has the legend on the horizon: he chases after

as the all-time leading scorer (counting postseason games, he's already passed him).

"We still have games to play. Until they trample me, cut off my head and bury me four meters under the ground, I have a chance. That's the confidence I have," he challenges, but he also begins to make accounts about his future already unleash angel alarms.

With his son Bronny

Because James will be a free agent in 2023, a year before his son

jumps into the NBA and his confessed desire is with him, "wherever."

"I think that every game we get more depressed," he admits about a team that breaks at the slightest difficulty, whose defense is among the weakest in the League, which loses balls like few others (almost 15 per game, only four teams in the entire league). NBA do worse) and their percentages from the perimeter are also far from the best (just 34.6%).

arrived in February and center

has been cut

- and that he continues to think about Westbrook's performance, the ineffable

which was LeBron's express request.

, who seems not to continue next year in Los Angeles, does not even rule out starting as a substitute: the coach has already tried 31 different quintets.

"My role and what I'm doing changes every night, so I'm trying to figure that out as I play, looking to help my team," Westbrook said after losing again to the Clippers (they've lost seven times on the run to the once weak neighbor ).

"I'm not giving up. It's not in my genes. I'm not giving up. I'm going to fight to the end."

Westbrook is undoubtedly the face of failure, the symptom of disappointment.

When, during the 2021 draft, they took over his services, he barely missed opening champagne in Hollywood.

Today they only think about how to get rid of the guy who loses the most balls in the NBA. He leads the NBA (240).

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