BOSTON — There isn’t only one factor that might thwart a Lakers run by the playoffs, however the largest single factor reared its head Saturday evening throughout probably the most anticipated regular-season sport of the yr: LeBron James and his 40-year-old physique doubtlessly failing him.
The final time he took a clumsy step that resulted in a groin damage, it was Christmas Day 2018 — his first as a Laker.
Fortunately for James, he didn’t really feel that further pop after scoring his final discipline aim with 7:05 remaining within the fourth quarter because the Lakers started mounting a comeback after the Boston Celtics took management within the third.
He tried to stretch it out earlier than going to the locker room and calling it an evening, and the Celtics pulled away late to safe a 111-101 win on the TD Backyard. It didn’t fairly really feel like a preview of the NBA Finals, however the sport was the costliest on the docket this season, a renewal of the storied rivalry with each groups desirous to ship a message to the NBA world.
The intrigue that stuffed the air was changed by the fact that the Lakers are counting on a 40-year-old man with a number of miles on his odometer.
“Not a lot concern,” James stated after the Lakers’ eight-game successful streak was snapped. “Clearly, we go daily, take a look at it every day, see if it will get higher and take the correct measurements to see what we have to do shifting ahead.”
James didn’t show a lot panic as a result of, on the very least, he is aware of what a extreme pressure seems like.
“The very first thing that popped in my thoughts was Christmas Day. I’ve been there earlier than and I do know what kind of damage you’re coping with,” James stated. “No, it’s not as dangerous as that. It’s not as dangerous as that.”
Within the 2018-19 season, James had the Lakers fourth within the West earlier than they went right into a tailspin as James missed the following month they usually completed 37-45. This damage seems like he might miss every week or two fairly than playoff-altering time.
“It doesn’t matter who’s within the lineup, we have now to play our sport,” James stated. “We’ve had guys out and in the lineup nearly all of the yr, after which had guys out and in the lineup during the last six weeks … so nothing adjustments.”
Austin Reaves and Jarred Vanderbilt every spoke the tried-and-true line of “subsequent man up” whereas acknowledging there’s just one LeBron James. In idea, Luka Dončić could be that man, contemplating the 2 function equally however in numerous methods. The shot creation will take successful over the following stretch, because the Lakers could have three units of back-to-back video games and two grueling stretches of 4 video games in 5 nights, adopted by every week taking part in three video games in 4 nights.
In a approach, it may very well be the remaining James wants proper earlier than the Lakers gear up for a playoff run. Not that he’d wish to miss the time — essential each in playoff positioning and constructing continuity — however his well being is the one most essential factor if the Lakers wish to presumably problem for a Finals run.
He’s been remarkably sturdy relative to his previous few in Los Angeles, taking part in 71 video games final yr and solely lacking 4 up to now this season.
An inexpensive query: The place will the Lakers be when James returns? The Celtics loss places them third behind conference-leading Oklahoma Metropolis and Denver, and solely two video games out of the fifth spot — which suggests they wouldn’t have home-court benefit in any sequence in the event that they slip that far.
They wish to keep within the first or second spot, which is the place most Finals groups emerge from — however that’s provided that James’ damage isn’t extreme and doesn’t flare up when he returns.
There have been moments the place James confirmed he might rev it up in opposition to the defending champions, and the Lakers have been proper there with him, for stretches. They junked up the protection lengthy sufficient to have the Celtics questioning themselves for a half and have been defending admirably even with out Jaxson Hayes, their lone huge who was out with a knee damage.
It wasn’t as masterful of a efficiency as in opposition to the Denver Nuggets on Feb. 22, once they annoyed the sport’s greatest participant, Nikola Jokić, into a depressing evening in a rout of Denver. Nevertheless it was a formulation for the way they’ll make a playoff run.
Not all people has Jayson Tatum (40 factors) and Jaylen Brown (31 factors), who performed 45 and 41 minutes, respectively, and may trigger havoc on each ends. However the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder have a number of huge, lengthy and rangy sorts who’ll trigger bother in the event that they run into the Lakers and Dončić once more.
For some time, Dončić’s evening seemed eerily much like the NBA Finals, which seems like many moons in the past — apart from possibly the Celtics. They crowded Dončić early and attacked him defensively as Brown once more took middle stage — poking and reaching, getting steals for fast-break dunks and tiring Dončić on the opposite finish.
However Dončić was on the middle of the Lakers’ comeback once they minimize the result in 96-92 with 5:06 remaining after the Celtics had a lead as huge as 22. For all of the video games that normally underwhelm, the Lakers confirmed sufficient gumption that leaves one considering this current successful streak wasn’t a lot of a mirage.
Dončić appears to be rounding into form, scoring 34 with eight rebounds and hit 5 triples in 36 minutes Saturday evening.
Lakers coach JJ Redick admitted his workforce had a little bit of “mind fog” popping out after halftime, resulting in the Celtics taking that 22-point lead. L.A. had an extra time sport in opposition to the Knicks on Thursday evening, adopted by a six-hour flight East with the Celtics ready.
The defending champions weren’t fairly at full energy however have been as full as they’ve been in awhile, with Jrue Vacation returning. Even with Kristaps Porziņģis nonetheless out, the Celtics didn’t appear to overlook a lot of a beat.
Brown and Tatum appeared to get to the rim each time they happy, searching for out Dončić and Reaves on protection whereas the Lakers wished to go at 38-year-old Al Horford. Horford fared a bit higher — nicely, lots higher after his physique warmed up within the second quarter. He nonetheless confirmed he may very well be a succesful playoff defender, and it’s most likely not an incredible thought to isolate him in hopes of exploitation.
It’s clear the Celtics know who they’re. And though they play with the sport a bit an excessive amount of, they confirmed the flexibility to run away and conceal by urgent a button.
“We’re not the place they’re, the defending champion,” James stated. “They’ve been taking part in basketball collectively for a very long time. They usually bought an incredible chemistry and know what they wish to do.
“We made an acquisition late within the season and we’re nonetheless attempting to construct. And we wish to get full … so we really feel like we will compete versus anyone.”
James was limping noticeably however didn’t appear so discouraged. He doesn’t should singularly carry the Lakers on his broad shoulders, as he tapped Dončić on the shoulder on the way in which out of the locker room.
It’s now Dončić who has to step ahead within the meantime.
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