You didn’t need to know NBA rosters to know who was on the Lakers — it was the embodiment of All-NBA and All-Star teams from the league’s last decade. The odds-on favorite to win the title. A wasted season later, it’s hard to see the Lakers as anything other than too old and too slow, with square pegs being pushed into round holes in between several players’ trips to the injury report.
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The Los Angeles Lakers weren’t a sure thing; they were, though, the surest thing for bettors. At the SuperBook inside the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino just off the Strip, more tickets were printed predicting the Lakers would be champions than for anyone else, the betting public cementing …
Lakers star LeBron James will miss the team’s final two games of the season because of his ailing left ankle. The All-Star forward was injured March 27 during a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. James returned to action last Friday in another game against the Pelicans but was unable to play Sunday …
After the Lakers blew a lead and lost to Golden State in the first game of this season, LeBron James was asked whether he had any advice for Russell Westbrook, who had made all of four baskets. “I told Russ to go home and watch a comedy,” James said. It turns out Westbrook didn’t need to go home for …
PHOENIX — It ended here. The Lakers’ attempt to win their 18th title ended far short of their goal, the team being eliminated from postseason contention following a 121-110 loss to the Phoenix Suns and the San Antonio Spurs’ win in Denver on Tuesday night. But maybe it really ended Friday in Los …
Anthony Davis, playing with tremendous pain in his right foot, stepped toward, and then around, Denver’s Nikola Jokic in the first quarter Sunday. As he drew contact and scored, he landed oddly and immediately glanced at the ground. He grimaced. He then shot, and made, the free throw. Then he limped …
PHOENIX — So the Suns are supposed to fear this team? That’s been the prevailing logic, the reason to keep trudging through the final month of the NBA schedule with a squad that’s this flawed. The Lakers last year, remember, had a 2-1 lead over Phoenix in the first round of the playoffs before …
He was shaking his head, looking down, looking lost. Russell Westbrook was discussing a series of tweets from wife Nina about harassment and obscenities and even death wishes. He was clearly in crisis over being the hometown hero turned heel, openly struggling with his role as villain in the Lakers’ …
Here’s a question that might never have come to mind before now but was entirely appropriate after the Lakers’ defensive malfeasance stretched their losing streak to four games and their latest slide to 11 defeats in their last 14 games: Why can’t the Lakers be more like the Clippers? Not in every …
Frank Vogel knew the stats weren’t as bad as the feelings. The losing can sort of lie to you, make you think things are worse than they really are. Still, after losing to the Clippers, he said he was surprised to hear that the Lakers’ defense ranked 16th in the NBA — a number that, considering …
LeBron James is a giant. He’s not bigger than the Lakers. James will retire as the greatest player in NBA history. He’s not greater than the Lakers. James has spent four years in Los Angeles. The Lakers have been here for 62. James has won one championship in Los Angeles. The Lakers have won a …
