Kobe Bryant is nearing the end of his career.
LeBron James thought coming home would be different.
When the Lakers play the Cavs tonight in L.A., the storylines are strong, but not what both superstars envisioned them to be. Talk of shutting Kobe down for the season seems blasphemous, yet a real possibility within a few months.
Chemistry issues for the Cavs have taken them out of championship contention to the center of media speculation of what’s wrong.
The main difference between the two franchises is their current direction.
The Lakers plan is to win in the future.
The Cavs plan is to win now.
Tonight, when Bryant and James both suit up, all eyes will be on both players, yet the distractions loom larger. If the Lakers don’t make a trade before the deadline, they risk not only falling out of the “bottom 5,” but alienating free agents in the offseason with their current roster.
The Cavs are built to win now, but their recent acquisitions of J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert and Timofey Mozgov reek of desperation more than adding solid pieces.
Both superstars are in unfamiliar territory: hurting, struggling and questionable coaching.
Although the luster is a bit dull, as fans we have to appreciate this monumental matchup because the reality is: it won’t be around much longer.