James’ Effort Not Enough To Rescue Lakers In Season Opener
At times, LeBron James was given a reason to be cheerful and enthusiastic. At other times, frustration and confusion as the Lakers tried to keep pace at the Moda Center.
This is all to say that LeBron James’ first game with the Los Angeles Lakers shows there’s plenty of work to be done.
LeBron James made his long-awaited regular-season debut for the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night vs the Portland Trail Blazers.
LeBron James finished the game with 26 points (9-for-16 FG, 0-for-4 3 PT), 12 rebounds and 6 assists in a 128-119 loss to Portland.
His stellar performance in a way would be offset by six turnovers as the Lakers as a team committed 15 turnovers on the night.
LeBron James has lost all four of his first games with a new team in his career, don’t panic Laker Nation.
A few minutes into the game James would create a steal on a sloppy pass and would go coast to coast for a right-handed slam dunk for his first official points in a Lakers uniform.
On the very next possession after a drive a slam by Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, Lebron James would fire up Lakers fans in attendance with his second throw down in as many possessions, leading to a timeout by Portland as a animated James got off to a thunderous start in his debut.
The good times would roll for James in the first half as he attacked the basket at will with very little impeding him from doing so.
James finished the half with 18 points, but the Lakers, who missed their first 15 three-pointers, trailed 65-63.
It was a classic track meet between the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers with James undoubtedly picking and choosing his spots when to turn on the defensive intensity.
The Lakers didn’t have much defensive intensity at all outside of Josh Hart (20 points, 3 rebounds) and Rajon Rondo (13 points, 9 assists), who both had strong performances Thursday night.
James and the Lakers did well to limit Portland’s prolific scoring duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum through three quarters, but for the most part were listless on the defensive side of the ball.
An aberration or a product of the Lakers porous defense, no matter which is more true, the Lakers allowed Nik Stauskas — who averaged 4.0 PPG last season — to tie a career-high 24 points on 7-for-11 from the field as he drained five three pointers.
Despite Portland’s high point total on the night, Los Angeles’ inability to hit from downtown was their undoing.
The Los Angeles Lakers shot 7-for-30 (23%) from three-point range. In comparison, the Portland Trail Blazers went 13-for-37 (35%) from three-point range.
The Los Angeles Lakers were never going to finish the season 82-0, but the spectacle and circus around the Lakers with LeBron James now in the fold will be something to behold throughout this 2018-19 season.
James, 33, knows that in order for this mostly young team to learn and grow that he will be the leading force behind that and you could see that throughout the game on Thursday night.
LeBron James was mic’d up for sound during TNT’s broadcast of the game and its clear that James is working to establish newfound chemistry and trust with his new teammates.
A loss in the season opener to a good Portland Trail Blazers team is nothing to panic about. It will be up to coach Luke Walton to find the right balance for the Lakers as a team as the season progresses.
The Los Angeles Lakers will welcome the Houston Rockets on Saturday night to Staples Center for their home opener.
What are your thoughts on LeBron James’ debut? Leave your comments below!