LeBron James once again shades Lakers' front office

The Los Angeles Lakers entered their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves as overwhelming favorites, but were forced to eat humble pie after a 4-1 defeat. 

In the aftermath of their loss, many blamed the shortcomings of Luka Doncic and LeBron James, the Lakers' famed star duo, for shrinking under pressure. Both produced their typical counting stats, averaging 30.2 and 25.4 points on efficient shooting splits, respectively. 

However, they struggled mightily in the fourth quarter of the five-game series. In the critical Games 4 and 5, Doncic and James shot a combined 4-of-18 in the final period, failing to hold on to double-digit leads. They were outscored by Timberwolves role player Naz Reid in the five fourth quarters, which proved much too costly for the Lakers.

Reflecting on the series loss, James feels it's unfair for the media to blame him and Doncic for his team's playoff flameout. On his "Mind the Game" podcast, James said the Lakers lost to "a better team" in the Timberwolves, suggesting that individuals can only do so much.

"I've definitely learned over the years that teams win championships," James said. "And yes, individuals get a lot of the accolades and praise, but a collective group wins championships... It’s never just about me and Luka… it was always Minnesota versus Lakers.... there's eight other guys on the floor."