LAKERS ON A MISSION

After nearly a decade away from the top NBA (National Basketball Association), Los Angeles’ Lakers decided two years ago to bring back their past glory by making crucial changes, signing, in 2018, James Lebron who with the Cavaliers had just lost another finale (4-0) to the Golden State Warrior after having to handle the team alone in the absence of Kyrie Irving and Love Durant during the play-offs and the finals.

Hurt in his ego and carrying healing wounds, James Lebron was hence looking for another champion team when he joined the Lakers whose ambition is (was) to compete with the Golden State Warrior in the western conference.

Though their experience was limited, the team is (was) made of many young promising players with a bright future.

The season was, therefore, a transaction during which the team, led by James Lebron has displayed some insufficiencies and limitations ad could not qualify for the play-off, coming 10th in the ranking of their conference.

This gave the team management time to focus on the recruitment process by watching the plays of their prospective future players.

End of season and the beginning of the cleaning among the team members with the signing of the young but powerful forward Anthony Davis who upheld the colors of the New Orleans Pelicant last season and that of the very skilled defender Dwight Howard of Charlotte Hornets, the center Demarcus Cousins from the Golden State Warrior, unavailable because wounded, the small forward Green Danny from the Raptors, the point guard Cook Quinn from GSW, the forward Dudlet Jared Power from Brooklyn Nets and the rookie Kostas Antekounmpo from the Dallas Mavericks. These players were signed to fill in last year’s gaps and find the balance between experience and youthfulness of players that already made up the team.

After a convincing preseason plays, the purple, golden and black franchise started the season in the best way possible by chaining up victories and breaking records. But as the season goes on, some defaults can be noticed in Lebron James teammates game, like a repetition from last season mistakes.

Lakers, who were regarded as one of the favorites of the season, lost against their potential adversaries in the race for the title of the champion of the NBA.

Frank Vogel’s players have so far bowed to the Lucas Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacer of D. Sabonis, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks, Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nugget and Kawhi Leonard’s Los Angeles Clippers, who are also important contender to the title of NBA’s champion, successively though they were caught up at the end of the game.

This reminds of the carelessness of last year. But the team should be careful not to let this mistake be on the way of their race to the confederation Championship, the Play-offs or the finale.

Although they have acquired important victories against Jimmy Buttler’s Miami Heat, and James Harden and Russell Westbrook’s Rockets, Lebron’s teammates are still not trustworthy. They are somehow feverish and reluctant. They must prove themselves accountable for the trust and support given by fans since the beginning of the season, for the benefit of the franchise.

Frank Vogel’s players should not forget that they are on duty in the Staples Center and should keep in mind that losing a game now could cost them the Championship Title.