After a one-year suspension that began last October, China’s CCTV says it will resume showing the NBA with Game 5 of the Finals tonight.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 9, 2020
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Lakers Don’t Have a Big Three, but They Have Plenty of Third Options
Who is the Lakers’ third-best player? It’s a complicated question night-to-night, but one that has left opponents guessing, too. @PaoloUggetti: https://t.co/iQgGnBzwyW
— The Ringer (@ringer) October 9, 2020
Who is Los Angeles’s third-best player? Depends on the night. While a third star has its obvious advantages, the absence of one has left opponents guessing.
The lesson of this season’s Lakers—beyond, you know, having two of the best five players in the league is pretty good—may be that that third star can be a collective as opposed to an individual. With the league’s financial future up in the air, it will be a lot easier to build around a star duo than a Big Three and stay under the cap. In addition, no NBA star seems to be imminently available this offseason unless you believe Victor Oladipo or Bradley Beal will demand out. And so executives will have to hope they can strike on the margins.
The scary twist on this whole scenario is that the Lakers can and likely will improve their likely title-winning supporting cast this winter. No one is on long-term contracts, and the free-agent market will be ripe with peripheral talent even if money might be scarce. Want to play alongside LeBron and Davis, boost your numbers, and have a chance to win a ring? How does that and this one-year deal sound, Jerami Grant?
LeBron vs. MJ? It’s just LeBron vs. history now. On the G.O.A.T. debate
New for @theathleticNBA — LeBron James's real opponent tonight is history. Sizing up the LeBron vs. Jordan debate:https://t.co/vwgnOElCxy
— John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) October 9, 2020
What’s making this debate more interesting, however, is that James is still racking up accomplishments. Statistically, James has already rivaled Jordan’s peak seasons – something no other player in history can say. Now he’s on a trajectory to potentially punctuate that with a massive advantage in longevity.
He’s not there yet, in this columnist’s estimation, but he’s not far away either. James has turned the previous non-debate about the greatest player ever into a legitimate conversation. With a win on Friday, and one or two rings on top of it, he has a chance to surpass even Jordan.
How the Lakers Winning Their 17th Championship Changes Everything!
The long and winding road leading to the NBA championship has never been longer or more winding than it was this in this crazy unprecedented year, which will make it that much sweeter when the Lakers win it all.
Never has winning the championship been more of a challenge than this year with the China controversy, the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, the season suspension for coronavirus, and seeding games and playoffs in the bubble. Never has the league been forced to play games in empty arenas without fans, run a special play-in tournament for the 8th playoff slot, or schedule a full slate of playoff games at a neutral site with no home court advantage.
This will be a championship that will catapult LeBron James back into the GOAT conversation, Anthony Davis into the lead as the Best Player on the Planet, and the Lakers past the Celtics as the greatest franchise in the NBA. It’ll also be the championship that celebrates the greatness of Kobe Bryant, launches the beginning of the LeBron James and Anthony Davis era, and sets the stage for the Los Angeles Lakers to build their next dynasty.
It will be the title that confirms LeBron James was the ‘real’ Most Valuable Player, Anthony Davis the ‘real’ Defensive Player of the Year, Frank Vogel the ‘real’ Coach of the Year, and Rob Pelinka the ‘real’ Executive of the Year. It will be redemption for Jeanie Buss as the Lakers’ owner and for Rajon Rondo, Kyle Kuzma, Dwight Howard, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Alex Caruso, Markieff Morris, Danny Green, and Avery Bradley as players.
It will be the championship we will never ever forget, that restores the Lakers back to the pinnacle of the NBA and positions them once again to be the premier franchise for whom every player in the league wants to play. It’ll open doors for the Lakers to become an even better team next year and the opportunity to build a sustainable championship dynasty with the NBA’s leading players competing to be signed by or traded to Los Angeles.
Winning this championship will be the greatest achievement in LeBron James’ career and the most important championship in the Lakers’ storied history. It’s the championship that will change everything for the Lakers.
LeBron James says respect of Lakers’ fan base must be earned with success
LeBron James says respect of Lakers' fan base must be earned with success https://t.co/aORkxwwjRW
— LakerTom (@LakerTom) October 9, 2020
“Well, one, what I’ve learned being a Laker is that the Laker faithful don’t give a damn what you’ve done before,” James said on Thursday. “Until you become a Laker, you’ve got to do it with them, as well.”