Los Angeles Lakers: Toronto Raptors show you don’t need second star
By Robert Marvi
It has always been axiomatic throughout NBA history that a team needs two bona fide stars or superstars to win it all or at least compete for a world championship. The Toronto Raptors seem to be challenging that thinking right now, and maybe the Los Angeles Lakers should take note.
In 1988, as the Los Angeles Lakers won their fifth NBA title of their decade behind the dynamic duo of Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the rap duo Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock released their seminal hit single “It Takes Two.”
The song went on to become certified platinum and has been sampled many times by other musicians, to the point where it is one of the most recognizable hip hop songs ever, even for someone like me who has never really been into that genre.
It could also be seen as a theme of sorts for what it takes to win an NBA championship. The history books are decorated with many a duo who have gone all the way: Magic and Kareem, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. Kobe and Pau Gasol, and so on.
Even in the 90s, when the league’s quality of play and talent pool hit its lowest point ever, this axiom was still true. Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller and Patrick Ewing, just to name a few, couldn’t beat Jordan’s Bulls mostly because they lacked that second star who was a big-time offensive threat.
Even John Stockton and Karl Malone couldn’t do it because, other than Malone, no one on that Jazz team caused opposing coaches to kvetch about his scoring abilities as they designed their defensive schemes.
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As Lakers fans, we’re all hoping that they sign a Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, Kemba Walker and/or trade for Anthony Davis to give LeBron James the co-star it seems like he needs to win it all.
But as the Toronto Raptors won the NBA Finals over the Golden State Warriors, it makes you wonder: is a dynamic duo the only way to win a world championship?
Toronto by no means has a dynamic duo. But they do have Leonard, who is evoking memories of Jordan and Kobe Bryant with the way he has been playing throughout this year’s playoffs.
Other than that, they manufacture points the democratic way.
Kyle Lowry has been an All-Star in the past, but he is no longer playing at the level. Serge Ibaka is pretty good, but he’s never been selected to play in the league’s midwinter classic. Pascal Siakam may someday soon become an All-Star, but for now, he’s not at that level.
But on any given night, at least one of those guys will show up as Leonard’s co-star. In Game 1 of this championship series, it was Siakam with 32 points on 14-of-17 shooting, while Marc Gasol added 20. In Game 3, Lowry stepped up with 23 points and nine assists, and in Game 4 Ibaka was second on the team in scoring with 20. Lowry, Siakam, Ibaka and Fred VanVleet all scored at least 15 points in the clinching Game 6 win.
How could the Lakers use this type of roster construction as inspiration and hope?
Let’s say they are unable to get the Pelicans to agree on a trade for Anthony Davis, and they’re only able to sign Jimmy Butler this summer. Other than that, they fill out the rest of the roster with 3-point specialists and commit themselves to win with defense and fast breaks under new head coach Frank Vogel.
Maybe Brandon Ingram averages around 20-22 points a game but doesn’t make the All-Star game. Butler averages around 18-19 and only really asserts himself offensively when he’s really needed as he did in Philly this season. Kuzma continues to average around 18-19 points himself while getting the majority of his points on fast breaks, broken plays and moving without the ball.
If the Lakers have a rock-solid halfcourt offensive scheme that they can trust when they are forced to slow down, they can still score the 115 or so points a game you need to be an elite team these days with efficiency.
Butler can be their go-to guy in crunch time and key situations earlier in games when they need a score one way or another, or when the offense breaks down and LeBron refuses to assert himself. Ingram can be groomed to someday take over in that same role if he has the requisite hunger, competitiveness and determination to become a pressure performer in the NBA.
If the Lakers strike out on Anthony Davis and their preferred free agent targets, forget “It Takes Two.” Maybe their mantra should instead be “teamwork makes the dream work.”