To say it has been a rough few days for the Lakers would be an understatement. After a loss at home to the lowly Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, the team appeared to be on the verge of total collapse, with the future of Russell Westbrook hanging in the balance.
Coming into tonight’s matchup against the Orlando Magic, the Lakers were probably feeling more pressure than they should have to secure a win. Despite a concerning first-quarter of action, the Lakers did eventually pull out a victory, mostly thanks to the heroics of LeBron James.
James dropped 30 points and 12 rebounds on the night, leading the team in both categories. At one point, he even got showered with MVP chants from the Orlando crowd.
After the game, with the 116-105 victory secured, Lakers fans took to Twitter in relief, celebrating being back on the right side of the win column.
Lebron james still the best player on planet earth 👑
RT:#LeBronJames #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/V6ku2McXRj
— Norshay Nunangan (@NNunangan) January 22, 2022
The Lakers are 2-1 since LeBron apologized to #LakerNation
Don’t ever doubt the KING pic.twitter.com/XM1zl9CPZB
— Petty Cowboys Fan (@emanuelgodina) January 22, 2022
LeBron threw down a nasty alley-oop and received MVP chants on the road in Orlando.
King James. 👑#LeBronJames #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/vmCOj2ICKF
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 22, 2022
LAKERS WIN pic.twitter.com/xcGr7XMq3o
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) January 22, 2022
https://twitter.com/ManfredToHell/status/1484714096708632579
LAKERS DIDN’T RUIN MY FRIDAY NIGHT pic.twitter.com/0heydiXI9K
— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) January 22, 2022
we beat a team we’re supposed to beat#LakeShow pic.twitter.com/PnZr1l0FkM
— Rillo ⛓️ (@michaelninesix) January 22, 2022
Russell Westbrook in the Win vs the Magic:
18 pts
11 reb
7 ast
3 stl
Didn’t have the most turnovers on the team 🤞 pic.twitter.com/1aI2HmFzjf
— J 🐳 (@216chels) January 22, 2022
Normally, a win against the league’s worst team wouldn’t be cause for celebration. The Magic are 1-9 in their last 10 and are the only team in basketball without double-digit wins on the season.
For this Lakers team, however, any win is worth something at this point. The fit of the current roster is questionable, at best, and victories have come in short supply lately.
To make matters worse, the situation with Russell Westbrook grows more volatile by the day, and people all around the NBA community have expressed major disapproval towards the way the team has handled it all.
“The Lakers are such wussies,” said Charles Barkley. “The way they are trying to throw Russell Westbrook and Frank Vogel under the bus is really pissing me off. I’m not gonna sit around like all these clowns on other networks who got their head up the Lakers booties. Now, they’re blaming Frank Vogel and Russell Westbrook. The people up top who put that trash together are running and hiding like cowards, saying ‘Oh it’s Frank, it’s Russ.’ You put all them old geezers out there. Listen, the best guy other than LeBron in the last month has been who? Stanley Johnson. For y’all to be bringing a guy who was on the street and he becomes your second best player, whoever running that trash out there getting away with. It’s ridiculous man.”
With the future of Westbrook and head coach Frank Vogel in jeopardy, nobody knows what this team will look like after February’s deadline. For now, it appears that a win has kept things intact for a while longer.
But if the Lakers ever want to turn their season around, some big changes will be needed. We will see soon enough what GM Rob Pelinka decides to do.
