Speaking after the Los Angeles Lakers‘ monumental 117-96 victory over the defending NBA champions Boston Celtics, a reporter tried asking LeBron James what the win meant for their championship aspirations during his post-game comments. James immediately shut the reporter down, explained that one win over the champions is not indicative of anything, and praised the Celtics for their championship pedigree.
Reporter: “In a game like this, against the Celtics, against the champs…”
LeBron James: “No, nope. It sure don’t. I can tell from the enthusiasm in your voice, heard that question too many times in my career. Absolutely not. It’s one game. They’ve hoisted the Larry O’Brien trophy. We’re trying to aspire to get there. We just want to continue to work on our game. Absolutely does not [mean anything].”
LeBron James on the #Lakers executing their game plan against the Celtics, their mentality heading into the road trip, and more. pic.twitter.com/yETqjgmPUP
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 24, 2025
LeBron has been around the block far too many times to know that a win over the reigning champions doesn’t always mean a chance at winning the NBA championship. The Lakers have also shown this season that they are from the level needed to compete for the NBA championship, at least with the roster they have right now.
None of this is to say that the Lakers played poorly. LeBron James, in particular, was sensational, scoring 20 points (9-20 FG), grabbing 14 rebounds, and assisting with six assists. Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 24 points (9-18 FG), eight rebounds, three assists, one steal, and three blocks. Austin Reaves continued his strong season, scoring 23 points (7-13 FG), rebounds, and six assists.
This win allows the Lakers to extend their record to 24-18, which puts them six games above the .500 mark, their best this season. They currently occupy the fifth seed in the Western Conference, right behind the Denver Nuggets. If things continue at this level for the Lakers, they will avoid the play-in game and guarantee automatic qualification to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
Lakers Need Reinforcements To Contend
Tonight’s win should not distract the Lakers front office. Even though they beat the reigning NBA champions, it is clear that the Lakers need to make some upgrades, primarily in terms of their depth at the center position. Anthony Davis made his position clear recently, urging the team to trade for a center so that he can play his preferred role of power forward.
Rob Pelinka has been active during this period, acquiring Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton from the Brooklyn Nets. While those moves have yet to pay off in the short term, the two great shooters will be useful in the playoffs. However, the Lakers must continue to make more moves.
JJ Redick has been actively and internally involved in trade discussions. But who should the Lakers target?
Well, we here at Fadeaway World have a few ideas, starting with a massive three-team trade that will make the Lakers instant title contenders. Another mock trade sees them land a definitive point guard to handle the ball, along with two major upgrades. However, the Lakers could go one step further and get involved in the Jimmy Butler trade, not to land the All-Star for themselves but to secure some key assets.
Whatever the Lakers decide to do, they need to act on it soon, as the trade deadline is just a little under two weeks away. Stay tuned to Fadeaway World for all the latest trade rumors, insightful NBA analysis, and so much more.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We really appreciate your support.
