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Having had more than a week to process the Los Angeles Lakers' second-round playoff exit against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron James said the result came down to a talent gap between the two teams, more than anything else.
"I have the passion and the admiration to hoist a Larry O'Brien Trophy up every single year, but I also have a realization of what particular team I have been a part of in that particular year," James said in an episode of his podcast, "Mind the Game," with co-host Steve Nash released Thursday. "And understanding this year, we fought and we played to the maximum ability of our team. But ultimately, if we're being completely honest, we were out-talented."