LeBron James finally had a bad game — by his standards, of course. Yet, even as the National Basketball Association’s leading scorer of all time could come up with just 17 markers on 35.3% shooting from the field against the Clippers the other day, the smile on his face remained evident long after the final buzzer sounded. It didn’t even matter that he wound up a point short of reaching 50,000 for his career spanning a whopping 1,834 regular season and playoff matches. The bottom line was that the Lakers won anew, for the second time against their crosstown rivals in three days, and for a league-leading 18th in their last 22 outings over the last six weeks.
Needless to say, much of the Lakers’ bout with success in recent memory can be traced to the outsized presence of new acquisition Luka Dončić. They’re a heady 7-2 since his arrival following a shocking trade with the Mavericks, and given their pristine slate against opponents with winning records, it’s fair to argue that they will continue to flourish heading into the postseason. To be sure, they were already rolling even before they spread the welcome mat for the five-time first-team All-NBA selection — when Anthony Davis still patrolled the paint, and even when the latter had to be sidelined due to an abdominal strain.
Certainly, the Lakers’ upward trajectory is fueled in no small measure by James’ continued show of excellence. In fact, he has been nothing short of spectacular since hitting the big four-oh at the turn of the year. And to contend that his numbers are noteworthy would be to understate the gravity of his accomplishment as the league’s certified elder statesman. For all the criticism the NBA has been subjected to in regard to the supposedly dwindling quality of its principal product, he has remained its face for a reason: His consistency and dedication to his craft is second to none.
Which, in a nutshell, is why not a few quarters have deemed it unfair for the Lakers to be gifted Dončić courtesy of the Mavericks’ seemingly misguided front office. At the very least, his assumption of the role of chief playmaker for the purple and gold holds the potential to extend James’ career. No longer does the latter need to be ball-dominant; instead, the surefire Hall of Famer has displayed a willingness — and capacity — to take advantage of the relatively reduced workload with marked efficiency.
Considering the firepower of the Lakers on the wings, it’s not without irony that their biggest strides have come from the other end of the court. They already count among the best of the best on defense, the erstwhile deficiencies of Dončić and their lack of size in the middle notwithstanding. And, not coincidentally, James has rediscovered his zest for walking the talk when it comes to single and collective coverages. That said, it’s anybody’s guess as to whether they can sustain their momentum through a tough stretch of games based on strength of schedule. The flipside is that even if they lose, it won’t be for lack of trying. Hustle begets confidence, and they have both in abundance.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
