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How Many First Round Exits Does LeBron James Have? A Look at King James’ First Round Exits From NBA Playoffs After Lakers’ Latest Exit

The LA Lakers were handed a first-round NBA playoff 2025 defeat by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Image Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a heartbreaking 103-96 defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the first-round of the NBA Playoffs 2025. The 4-1 series loss to the lower-seeded Wolves put an end to their championship dreams, while Minnesota advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals.

The LA Lakers had a remarkable campaign this season, where they finished with a 50-32 record, booking themselves a third spot on the standings. It was for the first time since the 2019-2020 season that the Gold and Purple Brigade were able to reach the 50-win mark. Not only this, but they also had some stars in their roster, including LeBron James, Austin Reaves, etc.

The Lakers also acquired Luka Doncic mid-season in a blockbuster trade deal that shook the entire NBA world. Doncic is a generational player and he along with James, raised the bar but ultimately lost the first-round of the playoffs in five games.

LeBron James’ Playoffs History

King James, who has been a part of the franchise since the 2018-19 season, has had an illustrious career so far. Having played 22 NBA seasons, the 40-year-old has made it to 18 Playoffs. James has played a total of 292 games in 55 playoff series, and out of those, his teams won 41 and lost 14.

His first playoff appearance came in 2006, when he was a part of the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 21-time NBA All-Star made his first NBA Finals appearance in 2007, when his team was swept 4-0 by the San Antonio Spurs.

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So far, James has made ten NBA Finals appearances and has won Four NBA Championships. However, his career has not only been defined by Finals and multiple Larry O’Brien Trophies. In fact, James has had quite a few first-round exits.

LeBron James’ First-Round Playoffs Exits

In his glorious career spanning over two decades, James has faced three first-round exits from the playoffs. Let’s take a look-

2020-21 Season

The first time LeBron James suffered a first-round loss was in the 2020-21 season, a year after the Lakers won their 17th NBA title. The Lakers qualified for the playoffs as the 7th seed in the West with a 42-30 record. They took down the Golden State Warriors in the play-in tournament. In the first-round of the playoffs, the then reigning champions suffered a 4-2 loss.

2023-24 Season

The second time King James suffered a first-round exit in the playoffs was in the 2023-24 season. The Lakers qualified as the 7th seed with a 47-35 record, by taking down the New Orleans Pelicans in the Play-In tournament. However, in the first-round of the playoffs, the Lakers were defeated by the Denver Nuggets 4-1.

2024-25 Season

Their third and the latest first round playoff exit came in the ongoing season. The Lakers, seeded third, were paired against the Minnesota Timberwolves. While they were considered heavy favorites to win the series, the Wolves pulled off an upset and took down the Lakers 4-1 in the best-of-seven series.

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LeBron James

Los Angeles Lakers

Garima Ranawat

Garima is a sports writer with around two years of experience in Indian sports and a newfound interest in the NBA. Inspired by the leadership of cricketing legend MS Dhoni, she wishes to bring in newer perspectives to the NBA fanatics with her writing.