Lakers news: Celtics star Kyrie Irving heaps sympathy on LeBron James - ‘I feel for him’
LOS ANGELES LAKERS star LeBron James has received sympathy from former team-mate Kyrie Irving, after the franchise’s playoff chances were well and truly put to bed on Saturday night.
The Lakers lost 107-120 against the Boston Celtics at the Staples Center in their 36th defeat of the season, leaving them seven wins adrift of eighth-placed San Antonio Spurs.
Luke Walton’s side have only won two of their eight games since the All-Star break, and the minimum requirement of playoffs set at the start of the campaign by owner Jeanie Buss cannot even by spoken about optimistically by the manager anymore.
James was typically the side’s standout performer against the Celtics, dropping 30 points alongside 12 assists and 10 rebounds.
The Celtics, all in all, put in a better team performance with six players hitting double figures in scoring.
Irving, who won an NBA championship with James at Cleveland Cavaliers, led the side with 30 points, and revealed his sympathy for his former team-mate, who is destined to miss out on the playoffs for the first time since 2005.
Asked how James must feel about the situation, Irving replied: “I can only imagine, I just… I can only imagine.
“I feel for him, obviously just missing a lot of time, as well as Brandon Ingram.
“But Bron’s a championship… He’s always been a championship contender.
I can only imagine [what it feels like]. I feel for him.
“He’s such a great player and such a great team-mate. When you’re not eligible to qualify for the playoffs, it’s hard.
“I can only imagine. I feel for him.”
The point guard hit the deck but was fortunately able to continue, and joked about the incident after his praise of James.
“After I just talked about how great Bron is, he hits me with an elbow in the face!” Irving said.
“But that’s all part of basketball, I’m OK.”