Los Angeles Lakers’ Talen Horton-Tucker (5) goes up for a slam dunk against Sacramento Kings’ Jabari Parker (33) during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)
Los Angeles Lakers’ Kostas Antetokounmpo (37) dunks against Sacramento Kings’ Jabari Parker (33) during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)
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Sacramento Kings head coach Luke Walton, left, talks with Buddy Hield during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)
Sacramento Kings’ Nemanja Bjelica (88) moves the ball against Los Angeles Lakers’ Talen Horton-Tucker (5) during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel talks with Talen Horton-Tucker (5) of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)
Los Angeles Lakers’ Talen Horton-Tucker (5) goes up for a shot against Sacramento Kings’ Harrison Barnes (40) during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)
Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James is wrapped with ice while on the bench during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)
Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James reacts after a basketball by teammate JR Smith against the Sacramento Kings during the third quarter ]of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)
Los Angeles Lakers’ Talen Horton-Tucker (5) knocks the ball from Sacramento Kings’ Nemanja Bjelica (88) during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)
Sacramento Kings’ Jabari Parker (33) dunks against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)
Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James (23) hits the ball against the backboard to save it from going out of bounds against the Sacramento Kings during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)
Los Angeles Lakers’ Jared Dudley (10) goes up for a shot against Sacramento Kings’ Jabari Parker (33) during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)
Los Angeles Lakers’ Dwight Howard (39) reacts towards Lakers’ Lebron James (23) after being charged with a foul against the Sacramento Kings in the second quarter of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)
Sacramento Kings’: DaQuan Jeffries defends against Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James (23) during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)
Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James points up following the national anthem before the start of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. >> One of the shortest Lakers regular seasons in history — and yet also the longest — finally came to an end.
It’s been 296 days since a high-profile Lakers-Clippers match-up at Staples Center that kicked off the 2019-2020 in front of a raucous crowd and huge TV ratings. Thursday’s meaningless 136-122 loss to the Sacramento Kings had little of the fanfare, but nonetheless wrapped up 71 games that saw the Lakers finish first overall in the Western Conference (52-19) while navigating unprecedented challenges and tremendous loss.
It wasn’t particularly sightly, but the last game before the playoffs rarely works out that way: Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso all sat out for various precautionary reasons.
LeBron James, an MVP finalist, finished as the league’s regular season assists leader for the first time in his career. Against the Kings, he played only a half, aggressively seeking out shots more than looking for others while scoring 17 points in less than 15 minutes.
It was the first time the Lakers finished with more than 50 wins since 2010-11, the year after the franchise’s last championship. It used to be the standard: In the previous 12 seasons before the recent drought, the Lakers won 50 or more games nine times.
While this postseason in the NBA is unlike any other in the history of the sport, the Lakers hope that they’ll continue to loop back to the excellence the organization once saw as its birthright.
