LeBron winds up playing the fool

April 1, 10:09 a.m. Pacific Time: LeBron James sends a tweet saying, “I’m out for the season officially. See y’all in the fall.

April 1, 9:58 p.m. Pacific Time: LeBron James comes up huge to get the Lakers to overtime!

Oh wait, look at the date. APRIL FOOLS!

April 1, 10:06 p.m. Pacific Time: LeBron James throws up a huge brick as the Lakers get swept in their season series with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Back in December, when the Lakers were 16-18, I wrote about some other teams full of Hall of Famers who finished with losing records. I didn’t think it would really happen, which is why I did it then, because it was silly to think that they were really that bad. Turns out they’re worse.

The Lakers are now guaranteed to finish at least 10 games under .500, and they’re a game behind the Spurs for the No. 10 spot in the West. And a team that’s 11-27 on the road has among its final five games… trips to Phoenix, San Francisco, and Denver.

The Sabres honored longtime announcer Rick Jeanneret, and instead of waxing about Jeanneret’s uniqueness, and how broadcasters nowadays are picked to fit a mold, and all of that, let’s just enjoy the excellent video tribute from Buffalo to its voice.

Thursday was originally scheduled to be opening day, and Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez hit an inside-the-park home run in a spring training game against the Guardians.

Then, Friday, against the Rockies, Billy Hamilton made one of the most incredible catches you’ll ever see… in a game that didn’t count.

If the Mariners miss the playoffs again, we’re blaming the lockout, because these guys were ready to go when the season was supposed to start (sans lockout).