The Los Angeles Lakers have most recently gotten a much-needed win against the Portland Trail Blazers, blowing them out at Crypto.com Arena 139-106. There is no doubt that this was a good win for morale and for their record right on the cusp of the New Year.
LeBron James delivered a fantastic performance, putting up 43 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 assists. Throughout the last few weeks, he has solidified that he is still a top-tier player in the NBA. While LeBron James has taken a step back on the defensive end in recent years, he is still an elite offensive engine that can carry an entire team.
Many fans lauded LeBron James’ performance against the Portland Trail Blazers. While the Trail Blazers are not known for being an elite defense, this was still an amazing performance from someone who is 37. At some points, you just have to appreciate greatness.
Great way to close out the year.@KingJames: 43 pts, 14 reb@AhmadMonk: 18 pts@carmeloanthony: 16 pts@russwest44: 15 pts, 13 reb, 12 ast pic.twitter.com/m3lJREGrf8
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 1, 2022
LeBron James over the last 7 games:
31 PTS, 14 REB, 6 AST, 52% FG
34 PTS, 7 REB, 2 AST, 68% FG
36 PTS, 9 REB, 6 AST, 57% FG
39 PTS, 9 REB, 7 AST, 56% FG
32 PTS, 11 REB, 11 AST, 58% FG
37 PTS, 13 REB, 7 AST, 52% FG
43 PTS, 14 REB, 4 AST, 61% FG
Appreciate LeBron’s greatness. 👑 pic.twitter.com/5CjoW1TtaO
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 1, 2022
There is a lot of talent present on the Los Angeles Lakers. But that talent will be for naught if the team isn’t going to win. Prior to the beginning of the season, coach Phil Handy stated that “paper doesn’t win championships” referring to how a collection of talent on paper won’t win rings, and implying that chemistry is important. The team did win today, and perhaps this can be a new beginning.
The Los Angeles Lakers have not yet gone on a winning streak to show that they’re contenders, but there are times when teams make runs in the second half of the season. Some teams take a while to figure things out in terms of chemistry and role, and perhaps that will be the case for the Los Angeles Lakers. However, they are still not past .500 in the standings, and we’ll see if they are able to become that championship-caliber team that many projected them to be. LeBron James could still lead them far in the playoffs, and it would be unwise to count them out.
