LeBron James questioned retirement after his Lakers were despite the highest-scoring postseason half of James害羞草研究所� matchless NBA career.

James set a personal record with 31 points in the first half of Game 4 on Monday night, but he missed two potential tying shots in the final minute as the Nuggets ended the Lakers害羞草研究所� season with a 113-111 victory.

The 38-year-old James finished with 40 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and immense frustration after Los Angeles害羞草研究所� remarkable late-season surge ended with four consecutive defeats. Although the top scorer in NBA history spoke about himself as part of the Lakers next season, James also said he hasn害羞草研究所檛 made up his mind on retirement.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檒l see what happens going forward,害羞草研究所� James said in the final answer of his postgame news conference. 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 know. I don害羞草研究所檛 know. I害羞草研究所檝e got a lot to think about, to be honest. Just for me personally going forward with the game of basketball, I害羞草研究所檝e got a lot to think about.害羞草研究所�

James is under contract for $46.9 million next season with the Lakers, but he is in charge of his future after earlier this year. He hasn害羞草研究所檛 previously suggested much personal conflict about finishing his contract alongside Anthony Davis, and his play hasn害羞草研究所檛 significantly declined after two decades in the NBA 害羞草研究所� although his health has grown less sturdy, particularly in his balky feet and ankles.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 all about availability for me and keeping my mind sharp, and things of that nature,害羞草研究所� James said. 害羞草研究所淏eing present on the floor, being present in the locker room and bus rides and plane rides, things of that nature. It害羞草研究所檚 challenging, for sure. It was a very challenging season for me, for our ballclub, and obviously we know whatever went on early on (in the Lakers害羞草研究所� 2-10 start to the season). It was cool, a pretty cool ride.害羞草研究所�

James missed a month of the regular season with a foot injury down the stretch, but he returned with a series of stellar playoff performances while the Lakers knocked off second-seeded Memphis and eliminated defending champion Golden State. That didn害羞草研究所檛 matter much to James, whose frustration broke through at several points after Game 4.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 like to say it害羞草研究所檚 a successful year, because I don害羞草研究所檛 play for anything besides winning championships at this point in my career,害羞草研究所� James said. 害羞草研究所淵ou know, I don害羞草研究所檛 get a kick out of making a conference (finals) appearance. I害羞草研究所檝e done it a lot, and it害羞草研究所檚 not fun to me to not be able to be a part of getting to the (NBA) Finals.害羞草研究所�

In his NBA-record 282nd career playoff game, James dropped 21 points in a dynamic first quarter in Game 4. He added 10 more in the second while playing nearly the entire half of a do-or-die game against the top-seeded Nuggets.

But James had only nine points on 4-of-12 shooting in the second half, and he missed two chances to score in the final minute. He took a strange fallaway jumper that missed badly with 26 seconds left, and his final drive to the hoop was thwarted by Denver害羞草研究所檚 Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon at the buzzer.

But the first half was vintage LeBron: He made 11 of his 13 shots and hit four 3-pointers without a miss in the highest-scoring playoff half of his career, which began in 2003 and has included four NBA championships. James added four rebounds and four assists, and he also got a technical foul after a physical exchange with Gordon when the two got locked up on the Lakers害羞草研究所� end of the court.

James had struggled from distance previously in the series, going 3 for 19 in the first three games. He fixed his shot in Game 4 害羞草研究所� and he even got credit for a 3-pointer in the first quarter when his lob pass to Rui Hachimura accidentally went in the basket.

James already had the highest scoring average in NBA history in elimination games (33.5 points per game) among all players with at least 10 such appearances.

After failing to win a title this year, James is clearly thinking about whether he wants to do it all again. One major obstacle to any retirement thoughts is his long-stated desire to play an NBA season alongside his son, Bronny, who will be a freshman at USC this fall and couldn害羞草研究所檛 join the league until the fall of 2024 at the earliest.

害羞草研究所淚 guess I害羞草研究所檒l reflect on my career when I害羞草研究所檓 done, but I don害羞草研究所檛 know,害羞草研究所� James said when asked to assess his 20th season. 害羞草研究所淭he only thing I concern myself with is being available to my teammates, and I don害羞草研究所檛 like the fact that I didn害羞草研究所檛 play as many games as I would have liked because of injury. That害羞草研究所檚 the only thing I care about, is being available to my teammates.害羞草研究所�

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AP NBA: and

Greg Beacham, The Associated Press

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