Oh, yes, they did!
The defending titleholders Warriors and the visiting Lakers played to a national TV audience on Christmas Day and surprise of all surprises, the Lebron James-led young crew smashed the latter’s homecourt invincibility, 127-101 before a terribly disappointed Arco Arena crowd.
This happened notwithstanding that King James was taken out of the game with still more than 7 minutes in the 3 rd period. He slid on the floor while trying to dribble inside the perimeter and felt a gnawing pain in the groin area.
LA was ahead by 17 points, if I remember correctly, and when that sorry thing occurred, my mind raced quickly to a sad eventuality: without jersey number 23, the Lakers will melt under the torrid shooting of Durant, Curry and Thompson.
I was wrong. With Lebron out of commission, the Warriors trimmed what was once a 19-point deficit to just a field goal, but former Celtic point guard Rajon Rondo bailed his teammates out, combining with youngsters Kuzma and Zubac, to maintain a nine-point distance as the third quarter closed.
The question now arises: did LA prove anything by turning back the formidable NBA kingpins?
Lebron fanatics will loudly argue that the Lakers are now capable of standing on their own against the NBA’s best. The Luke Walton-mentored platoon has defeated this early several play-off contending teams which indicate that LA’s new recruits – James, Lance Stephenson, Rondo, Javale McGee, Tyson Chandler – and the remnants of what was once favorite whipping boys in the west have already jelled under the keen and watchful management eyes of Lakers president Earvin “Magic” Johnson.
I think the best test that James and company have found team chemistry was this Christmas day match up against GSW.
What if Magic completes his “dream team?”
Weren’t there much earlier talks about getting in Kawhi Leonard who eventually moved to Toronto? And what about Carmelo Anthony who is reportedly in the freezer in Houston?
And now, there’s Anthony Davis in the mix.
Johnson’s timeline of fashioning out a champion squad is reportedly three years inclusive of this 2018-19 season.
To achieve this focal objective, the Lakers need another solid outside sniper in the mold of a shooting star that looks like Kevin Durant, Anthony or Leonard. Somebody like this will give opposing teams defensive problems because they will not be able to double team James anymore.
I take a different view, however.
After muscling the repeat NBA champs to submission with this crew of raw eager beavers, I am inclined to believe that Magic’s current “mixed” line up is starting to mature and develop some court savvy that the Lakers may somehow translate into a formidable arsenal.
I am quite satisfied with the supporting cast of Lonzo Ball, Caldwell-Pope, Ingram, Kuzma, Hart et al with James as the franchise player on which the LA ballclub is built around.
But Johnson did not earn his name tag “Magic” for nothing.
He needs to prove his managerial acumen and live up to his expected time line. Or else.
The same thing goes to Walton.
I will make a bold prediction that if James and company continue to sustain
their impressive performance, they could find their way into the Western
Conference’s 8-team playoffs. Of course, I could be wrong. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
