Purple and Bold

By Peyton Schultze

LeBron and the Lakers are rolling right now, having won nine of their last ten including major wins against championship contenders (via Silver Screen and Roll).

They were 0-3 on the season against them both coming into the weekend. Many people had said that Kawhi and Giannis had overtaken the game’s truest King for the role as the best player in the sport. They were in desperate need of a statement win against a title contender, and were given two straight opportunities over the weekend to do so in a major way. There were several roadblocks standing in the Lakers’ way, so could they really overcome the odds and shock the basketball world?

Well, the Lakers pulled it off, and they pulled it off in an impressive fashion that few could have saw coming. With two straight clutch, overpowering, and timely wins over two teams that many have billed as the best in the NBA, the Lakers proved that they are out for blood and should be viewed as a legit contender to take home the organization’s 17th championship in franchise history this June. With spectacular all-around play from Anthony Davis, improving secondary chemistry from necessary role players such as Avery Bradley and Kyle Kuzma, and out-of-this-world dominance from the game’s still-greatest current player in LeBron James, Los Angeles once again became the center of the basketball world and the site of potential playoff thrillers in the next couple of months. With the Lakers sitting pretty at the number one seed in the Western Conference, it appears that the road to championship glory will run through the purple and gold corridors of Staples Center, which is as reinvigorating and special for any Laker fan as anything that has followed the past several seasons of poor play at the bottom of the West. Showtime is officially back, and the Lakers look truly hungry to capture their first title since that magical night in their 2010 Game 7 victory over the rival Boston Celtics.

Showtime’s newest duo has been nothing short of exceptional for most of the regular season (via Silver Screen and Roll).

Now what transpired over the weekend may have been a surprise to many fans based off the quality of the opponents they were facing, but the Lakers have really been doing this all season long. Now having won nine of their last ten games in all, Los Angeles has found a way to cruise into the conference’s top seed with 49 total wins and a six and a half game lead for home-court advantage in the postseason. With so much talent constantly being deployed on the floor, the Lakers’ success also speaks to the job by head coach Frank Vogel and his coaching staff, which has done an exceptional job keeping this team together through the notable off-the-court tragedy. Even though Vogel will probably not take home the honors for Coach of the Year with other candidates such as Billy Donovan, Erik Spoelstra, and Nick Nurse in the limelight, it is clear that the veteran head coach has done a great job in his first year as head coach of the league’s most popular team.

With that being said, one storyline that increasingly evolved over the course of the weekend was the play of their supporting cast. For a large part of the season, many basketball fans around the league have mocked some of the Lakers’ lesser-known players for largely being carried by James and Davis, whether it be Alex Caruso’s receding hairline, Kyle Kuzma’s struggling defense, or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s early season struggles. While those players may not rise to the magnitude of the Lakers’ two marquee All-Stars, it would be foolish to think that these players aren’t worthy contributors that will have to step up for the Lakers to win in the end. This was never more obvious than over the weekend, when some of these minor role players made some big time plays. Javale McGee had a monster game on the glass and by blocking shots against the Bucks. Kyle Kuzma stepped up on the glass and had some bright defensive moments against one of the league’s best offenses in the Clippers. Alex Caruso had some nifty hustle plays throughout the game versus Milwaukee. And Avery Bradley had his best game of the season on offense against a lethal Clipper defense. If the Lakers want to end up hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy at the end of a postseason run, it can’t be all about their superstar play each and every game. This type of inspired play from their role players, on both ends of the floor, could be a deciding factor that determines if the Purple and Gold can get over the hump.

The Lakers’ huge road win over the Clippers could give them the confidence they need that they can go toe-to-toes with anyone in the NBA (via NBC Los Angeles).

But to not address the elephant in the room would be a disservice to the Lakers. Clearly, the biggest story over the course of the weekend became James’ extraordinary play, which has continued to wow in the seventeenth season of his illustrious career. Consistently slicing up defenses, extending his three-point range, and improving his focus on the defensive end has helped James reclaim his right to the NBA’s throne as the best player, and this version of James appears to be one that is as deadly as ever if he can continue to stay healthy. In both matchups over the weekend, LeBron stepped a bit outside of his norm and was able to directly take on Giannis Antetokounmpo, last year’s league MVP, and Kawhi Leonard, last year’s Finals MVP. Although it wasn’t a full shut-down of both players, James was clearly the best player on the court in both matchups and consistently put immense pressure on opposing defenses with his lethal play down the stretch. For a majority of the season, people around the league seemed to have adamantly stated that Antetokounmpo should be the 2019-2020 league MVP. But with James recently charging against elite competition, it’s clear that The King is a legitimate threat to capture his fifth league MVP and first with the Lakers.

It’s clear that James’ main goal this season isn’t to win the league’s MVP award, but to instead finish the season on top with his first championship with the Lakers. But LeBron played at a superhuman level over the past weekend against Giannis and Kawhi, showing some true emotion and aggressiveness that is rarely seen from the three-time champion during the regular season. LeBron may deny that he is trying to secure the MVP, and he is probably telling the truth in doing so, but this recent play would not have such implications if he wasn’t trying to prove a statement. Since joining the Lakers, all people have done is once again doubt James.

“He’ll never be a Laker great.” He has transitioned into a beloved Laker in a matter of months with find words and sensational highlights. “Others around the league are starting to catch up to him.” He now leads the league in assists for the first time in his career and ranks third all-time in points scored. “He benefits from having a superstar like AD around him.” Maybe, but he’s in the thick of the MVP discussion for a reason. LeBron has made it known that he has heard the doubters try to throw him under the bus in favor of new players such those mentioned above, and the style of play that he showed over the weekend was one of a true killer that is on a mission for glory. This is an exciting notion for Laker fans that can fondly remember the satisfyingly intense play of the late Kobe Bryant, and LeBron has brought that same type of energy to the court recently. Right now, it’s The King’s court and everyone else is just living in it. So will he be able to maintain that killer instinct for the rest of the season and end the season soaked in champagne in the Lakers’ locker room?

Make no mistake about it: the Lakers are as dangerous as any team in the league (via Silver Screen and Roll).

With so much momentum guiding them forward from now on, the Lakers will carry the burden of being viewed as potential champions when the time comes. And with James and Davis at the helm and playing at such a high level together, it’s certainly deserved that they carry that status among the league’s best. While many people would say that this pressure could catch up with the Lakers and cause them to fold when the postseason rolls around, those same people must not be paying attention to all the constant pressure that LeBron and company have had to carry all season long in wake of Bryant’s passing. These Lakers, especially after their last two huge wins, now know that they truly have what it takes to match up with the best in the league and come out with a W on the board, and it should be a sight to see how they continue to play from now until the end of their season.

These last two wins over the Bucks and Clippers do not guarantee a single thing for the Lakers, but they are certainly stepping stones that were probably needed in the short-term and long-term picture. In order for the Lakers to win their 17th title, there’s a fair chance that they will have to match up with those same teams and put together similar performances that they did over the weekend. And while that could or could not be enough in the end for the Lakers, it’s hard to predict exactly where they will stand in a month or two. Yet we can take this same knowledge and reflect what we know about the Purple and Gold right now: their must-watch style of play has officially brought Showtime basketball back to the City of Angels, and it will be a treat to watch them stick together and run up and down the floor for the next several months.