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LeBron won't give up despite lost season: 'Game gods' are watching

Allen Berezovsky / Getty Images Sport / Getty

LeBron James will miss his first NBA postseason since before Twitter existed, but he'll continue to compete as the Los Angeles Lakers play out the string.

"I would never cheat myself," James told Spectrum SportsNet's Mike Trudell after logging a triple-double in Sunday's win over the Sacramento Kings. "At the end of the day, I know we're out the playoff race. But if I'm on the court, I'm going to play how I play, and I play to win. So, I will never cheat the game."

The King then confirmed his subservience to certain mythical basketball deities.

"There's such a thing called the 'game gods,'" James said. "And they're watching no matter what you're doing, and it's our obligation to go out and be a professional, and that's what I'm about."

The 29-point, 11-rebound, 11-assist effort was the 81st triple-double of James' career and helped the Lakers snap a five-game losing streak. Los Angeles is 12-27 since a Christmas Day victory over the Golden State Warriors and will miss the playoffs for a sixth straight year.

Earlier Sunday, James sent a message to Lakers fans on Instagram, promising "the spell won't last much longer."

It will be James' first playoff-free spring since 2004-05, his second season in the Association.

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