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Let the #LakeShow scrimmages begin. pic.twitter.com/W7rHX2M0Yt

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 20, 2020

There’s definitely something special about the Los Angeles Lakers as a franchise. Much as the haters and naysayers laugh about Lakers exceptionalism and their big market advantages, there’s something special about this franchise to enable them to put together these three iconic superstar duos. You can’t bottle it, other franchises can’t duplicate it, but it’s as real as being in 32 NBA Finals and winning 16 NBA championships and counting.

In the scale of what’s happening in our country today, the Lakers clawing their way back on top may be trivial and inconsequential but for some reason, I look at it as a sign of a new era where right once again will rule, hope will once again spring, and the stars will once again align in favor of all things good and honorable. Go, Lakers!

Thanks for keeping the solid fivers coming, Jamie. Great job, man.

The Nuggets have finally reached the end of the road, and this time there was no miraculous comeback from a 3-1 deficit. Unfortunately for the Nuggets, the road ended right there at a subdivision where the mighty Lakers reside with a big sign that warns everyone that there is NO OUTLET in the neighborhood, just right in front of the entrance. So you just know exactly what you are about to face when you roam in that neighborhood.

The only player you didn’t mention was Danny Green. I would like to give him a big shoutout simply because of how he played in this game. He worked hard defensively in this game, but what I was most impressed about was how he was rotating all over the floor on 2nd and 3rd efforts in single possessions. I am not even going to mention the 2 blocked shots and that huge 3 pointer in the 4th quarter. He was just tireless, relentless and the glue that kept the team intact. He was steady throughout the game. Everybody played their part well as a team and this was a great win.

Before the game, I was debating with myself about what kind victory by the Lakers would be much sweeter. A blowout win with the possibility of feeling complacent heading into the finals or a grind out win with the feeling of being battle tested before the finals. I am glad the Lakers won the way they did because they are now battle tested, thanks to the great effort and resilience of the Nuggets, a team that didn’t quit. That made the win sweeter for me than a blowout which would have been great. But to win while being tested is even sweeter and everlasting.

The Lakers finished the game with acrobatic flares and convictions all over the finish line and that could only harden their resolve heading into the finals. LeBron was supperhuman and Anthony Davis always find a way to hurt the Nuggets by eating them alive. Talk about double whammy.

How else could it better. The Lakers have encountered all kinds of obstacles in this playoffs, there’s just about nothing left for them except to feel ready for the final battle. And while the win was great, the more the merrier. 4 more to go.

At my heart, I’m like many everyday Lakers fans, demanding change after every speed bump, wanting perfection in a sport manned by human beings, driven by my own opinions of how the game should be played, impatient to a fault.

That’s led me many times to be frustrated and even enraged that Frank Vogel would continue to play JaVale McGee or refuse to surround LeBron and AD with better 3-point shooting. But when the emotions of the games subside and I look back at the fabulous job Frank has done as the coach of my Lakers, I couldn’t be happier or prouder to have had him as the head coach of this team.

As Anthony Slater says in the above article, Frank’s coaching acumen and style are a big reason why the Lakers are back in the Finals and are going to finally win that elusive 17th NBA championship. Just as there is a regular season MVP and a Finals MVP, there should be a Playoffs COY like there is a regular season COY because that’s what Frank Vogel deserves.