The Lakers are Officially Eliminated From Playoff Contention. So What Comes Next?

We all knew it was coming, but still, it's surreal to think that after Tuesday's 121-110 loss to the Suns in Phoenix that the Lakers, who came into the season with so much hype and equal amounts of hope, won't even be in the NBA's play-in tournament. They were officially eliminated from contention. The collapse has been stunning and total, and came pretty quickly considering the Lakers were a 24-24 squad late in January. Things didn't look good them, but this end point didn't seem like a real possibility, either. So Frank Vogel looked like a guy who knows his time with the team is running short, which makes sense given the team's success, his relative performance, and the total lack of faith shown in him by the organization coming into the year. What remains to be seen, however, is how much the front office will think of Vogel as a scapegoat, lessening their own culpability. How much did the unending pressure of the season play a role? Carmelo Anthony noted that it was there - an admission that is kinda rare for athletes, who often like to pretend that none of this stuff exists save media narratives - and obviously the constant drumbeat of what's wrong relative to expectations helped suck the fun out of this year. The other thing that did that? Russell Westbrook. He was such a dominant theme in any discussion of the team that he would inevitably impact how much joy could be had. And wow, was his year joyless. Some ways where he's the avatar for larger failures, others where he was the source. But the whole context around Westbrook - is he competitive or just combative - changed in a season where his play couldn't counter the criticism. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: It's over. We knew it would be, but it's still strange to say. SEGMENT 2: On the future of Frank Vogel, and the role of pressure in the team's demise. SEGMENT 3: The Russ Experience has sucked. Is he competitive, or just combative? Why the difference matters. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! PrizePicks Check out PrizePicks.com and use promo code: “NBA” or go to your app store and download the app today. PrizePicks is daily fantasy made easy! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. BetOnline BetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts! Rock Auto Amazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices