The Lakers are definitely others after the All-Star and they are heading towards who they really are, who they have been all their lives, for their own honor and that of their ‘King’ and that of the NBA, LeBron James. Those in purple and gold made it very easy against the surrendered Rockets of Usman Garuba (109-134) and added the sixth victory in the last 7 games -12-6 since the break and with 13 games without the ‘6’-, with an impetuous Anthony Davis and another record LeBron to settle in the play-in places -seventh with 40-38, just one game from the sixth and last playoff position occupied by their neighbor, the Clippers with 41-38.
‘The King’ -18 points with 8/18 shooting, 10 rebounds and 11 assists-, equaled Jason Kidd as the fourth player with the most triple-doubles in history with 107 to continue accumulating merits with which to end his career as the most complete player of all time. Beside him, the man who does what he wants near the basket when injuries do not interrupt him, Anthony Davis, impressive with 40 points after 15/20 shooting and 9 rebounds.
For his part, Garuba, down again, was barely on the floor for two and a half minutes without giving him time to record any statistics. The Spanish center played only 5 minutes in Friday’s defeat against the Detroit Pistons to chain two shocks with little relevance.
It all starts with LeBron and Davis but the others follow. That Austin Reaves who has reached the next level to stay -18 points-, that Malik Beasley who has provided an outside shot -despite his 3/11 in triples to finish with 13 goals-, that Rui Hachimura who influences both sides of the field and who added 20 points this time from the bench. Without forgetting all the criteria that D’Angelo Russell, who did not play the second half due to discomfort in his left foot.
All of them -with the exception of Reaves-, incorporated into the winter market in a few master plays of Rob Pelinka -General Manager of the Lakers-, for a brutal final lesson and to recover all the prestige squandered in recent times, especially as a result of the incorporation of Russell Westbrook. Although LeBron also had to do with it.
And in the Rockets, with Jalen Green as the top scorer with 24 goals, an obvious desire for a disastrous season to end now -last in the West with 19-60-, let’s see what happens with the bench -it sounds like the Raptors coach, Nick Nurse, could arrive for the Desperate Stephen Silas.
Although there are reasons for illusion, as Alperen Sengun, giving the Turkish center another reason with one of those fanciful things that is better to see than to explain. As reasons for illusion, there are some Lakers who can now say yes to LeBron more than ever, who can give him that opportunity to blend in his fifth ring.
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