Los Angeles Lakers: 4 Lessons in a Game 1 loss to Portland Trail Blazers!
By Ronald Agers
LeBron James set more records, but this is not the dominant performance the Los Angeles Lakers need!
If Lakers Nation is happy with this performance, get ready for a huge playoff upset. Lake Show Life needs to get this message across early.
LeBron James needs to dominate for the Los Angeles Lakers to win this series!
Even though LeBron James became the first Laker to have a triple-double in their playoff debut since Magic Johnson, with a stat-line of 23 points, 17 rebounds (2 offensive!) and a new career-high of 16 assists, this team is not playing well enough. He has to score more!
The playoffs have started. LeBron can’t just crank it up in the second quarter. When he coasted in the first quarter, it was Damian Lillard being aggressive. It wasn’t a coincidence that the team made a run when he started making plays while driving to the basket.
LeBron James will have to remind everyone that he can dominate a game by scoring the ball. Times like when he was in Miami or when he ran roughshod through the Eastern Conference on his second tour of duty in Cleveland. Portland is not scared of him and they do not send double teams at him.
What’s worse, there were times the Blazers were sending guards to defend him. Ask Jason Kidd how that worked out in the 2011 Finals when he guarded him while playing for the Dallas Mavericks. That championship ring he might be wearing is an example of the fact that it worked.
As much as the Lakers tried to get him help over the summer, this team will still ultimately go as their superstar goes.
The same advice could go to Anthony Davis. Let’s turn the page and talk about him.