Los Angeles Lakers dynasties of yesteryear mirror today’s potential dynasties.
While the Los Angeles Lakers aren’t in the postseason, things have still been fun to watch. As the 2018 NBA Playoffs approach the two-week mark, the intensity of competition has skyrocketed, making this a great postseason so far.
Eventual Eastern Conference powerhouse, the Philadelphia 76ers, advanced to the second round defeating the Miami Heat, making the “City of Brotherly Love” and Allen Iverson proud in the process. The Western Conference saw the New Orleans Pelicans feasting on Portland in an upset sweep of the Trailblazers, sending them packing towards the Pacific Northwest to get an early start to the fishing season.
Within the excitement around the NBA Playoffs, attention usually returns to the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers, both having met in the NBA Finals each of the last three years.
Winning, even for some professionals, can get dull. After three consecutive years of an extended season, lack of focus and especially injuries can bear too much on a team’s continued success.
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The Warriors did dispose of the San Antonio Spurs in the first round easily, but going further into the playoffs, Stephen Curry must be available.
For Golden State, not only are they Curry-less, but have other players nursing injuries. Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Andre Iguodala are playing through ankle, thumb, and leg injuries, respectively. Patrick McCaw, out indefinitely, still suffers from a back injury that occurred near the end of the regular season.
The Cavaliers’ problems come from underperforming, as well as getting bit by the injury bug. Kevin Love is playing with a partially torn ligament in his left thumb, an injury caused when making a defensive play during Game 2 of Cleveland’s matchup against the Indiana Pacers. George Hill continues to be re-evaluated for his back spasms.
Indiana has given Cleveland all they could handle, but find themselves down 3-2 on a Lebron James buzzer beater in Game 5, reminiscent of his top of the key buzzer beater in Game 2 of the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals. The Cavaliers, who need more from the supporting cast, will only go as far as James takes them.
For both teams, the task of mulling through three straight regular seasons and the NBA Playoffs is grueling. The path to becoming an NBA dynasty is not without its fair share of injuries and pain. Dynasty-level pain. Something the ghosts of Lakers past can relate to.