By Sunday 
By Enefu Sunday
The playoffs are supposed to be about hope—fresh starts, clean slates, that wide-open feeling that maybe, just maybe, this is the year. For fans in Southern California, though, the NBA postseason has felt less like a rebirth and more like déjà vu. The Lakers and Clippers, once again, stumbled through the playoffs and into the offseason with more questions than answers.
But hey, at least the games have been entertaining… for everyone else.
All the Chaos, None of the Comfort
The second round of the NBA playoffs has delivered pure mayhem: all four higher seeds found themselves trailing out the gate, a first in league history. Tyrese Haliburton hit a cold-blooded buzzer-beater in Cleveland, the Knicks poked holes in Boston’s seemingly invincible armor, and the Warriors managed a win over Minnesota despite Steph Curry’s hamstring barking at him.
And yet, here in L.A., both our teams are watching it all unfold from the comfort of their couches.
Clippers president Lawrence Frank called the Game 7 blowout loss in Denver “embarrassing”—and he wasn’t wrong. It was a bitter end to what had been a thrilling series. Meanwhile, the Lakers barely put up a fight in their five-game exit at the hands of the Timberwolves, who then turned around and got stomped by the Warriors. Not great optics.
So what went wrong?
Lakers: Tired Legs and Familiar Regrets
Let’s start with the Purple and Gold. Coach JJ Redick raised eyebrows with his claim that conditioning might have been an issue—a subtle jab at his roster? Possibly. But as columnist Jim Alexander noted, if you’re not already in shape when you hit training camp, you’re fighting a losing battle.
Still, the Lakers’ problems run deeper than cardio. This team lacked a true rim protector—someone who could give them size and presence in the paint. Watching Jaxson Hayes try to fill that role was like trying to fit a square peg in a round hoop. You couldn’t help but wonder: what would 2020 JaVale McGee have looked like in this lineup?
And Redick’s decision to run Austin Reaves—ailing toe and all—for a full half in Game 4? Mirjam Swanson called it “wacky,” and that feels generous. The Lakers didn’t just get beat—they looked old, slow, and outmaneuvered.
Clippers: Same Story, New Building
On paper, the Clippers had it all: a healthy Kawhi, depth, experience, and homecourt in their sparkling new arena. And still, James Harden pulled a familiar disappearing act when it mattered most. As Mirjam noted, the regular-season Harden doesn’t translate to the postseason, where whistles are rarer and mental toughness is everything.
The Clippers are stuck in a holding pattern: good enough to contend, not equipped to finish. Harden has a player option and reportedly wants an extension. But can this version of the team really contend for a title? Maybe it’s time to take another swing—Ballmer & Co. certainly aren’t shy about doing so.
Silver Linings and Stress-Free Spectating
If there’s a glass-half-full angle here, it’s this: with no team left to root for, L.A. fans can now root against Boston. The Celtics’ pursuit of Banner 19 is reason enough for Lakers loyalists to tune in.
There’s also something freeing about watching the playoffs without the emotional burden of investment. Every game is just basketball, not an existential crisis.
And for some fans, there’s always the fallback plan: “Basketball season’s over—let’s go Dodgers.” Can’t argue with that.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Are Falling
Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse for SoCal sports, enter the L.A. Galaxy. The reigning MLS Cup champs have plummeted to dead last in the Western Conference. Their latest low? A 1-0 loss to Sporting Kansas City—on an own goal—without conceding a single shot on target. That’s not just bad. That’s historic-bad.
Injuries have played a role, sure. Riqui Puig is still rehabbing his ACL. But the league’s salary cap constraints haven’t helped either. The Galaxy had to shed several key players, including leading scorer Dejan Joveljić, just to stay under budget. As Jim said, parity might be the league’s mantra, but it sure does feel like it’s punishing success.
Mirjam nailed it: “It’s wild to think about the idea that dynasties could be bad for a sport or a league.” But that’s exactly the model MLS has embraced—and right now, it’s costing L.A.’s premier soccer team dearly.
What Now?
So where do we go from here?
For the Lakers, it’s back to the drawing board—again. They need size, consistency, and maybe a little youth. For the Clippers, it’s another soul-searching summer: do you double down on Harden, or look elsewhere?
And for Galaxy fans, well… maybe there’s some catharsis in knowing things can’t get much worse.
At least we’ve got the playoffs—just not the ones we hoped for.