The unceremonious ending to the Los Angeles Lakers playoff run was perfectly emblematic of the 2020-21 season as a whole. The Lakers lost in Game 6 to the Phoenix Suns with Anthony Davis missing a majority of the game, Alex Caruso being ruled out early, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope playing through an injury.
The entire year, the hits never seemed to stop. Just as the Lakers felt like they were getting a rhythm, someone would have to miss time with an injury or in the NBA’s health and safety protocols. A snake-bitten season ended as mercifully as it could have, with the Lakers not having to play any more games after the first round.