LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers continue to show they are indeed a force to be reckoned with during the 2019-20 NBA season as they rallied from a 19-point deficit to defeat the Chicago Bulls, 118-112.
The Lakers looked like a team that was ready to go home as they came out extremely flat and unfocused in the first half. Several careless live-ball turnovers allowed Chicago to get out and run which helped them drop 65 points in the first half, the most points Los Angeles has allowed so far.
Sensing the game getting out of reach, James immediately went to work on both ends, providing excellent defense while also getting to the basket to draw fouls and help chip away at the Chicago lead. His efforts helped him earn his third straight triple-double, a feat that has only been accomplished by Magic Johnson.
Anthony Davis had high praise for James after the game, via Spectrum SportsNet:
“He doing what he do. He’s playing out of his mind, he’s leading this team. He’s doing it all on both ends of the floor. He’s making the right plays, going to the line making free throws, he’s making his jumpers, he’s attacking the basket, he’s finding guys. He’s playing at a high level right now.”
James has seemingly turned back the clock as he is reminding everyone about the dominant two-way player he used to be in his prime.
His effort on the defensive end has been the biggest surprise as he has built a reputation in recent seasons of resting on that end in order to preserve his energy to control the offense late in games.
With James buying in on defense, it has galvanized the rest of the roster to play hard and also give their best effort. Los Angeles is winning games on the back of their defense and through seven games, it is clear this is how they will most likely continue to be successful.
It is early in the season, but there is a legitimate case to be made that James has been the most impactful player in the league. His first season in Los Angeles was a forgettable one given how much went wrong, but it is refreshing to see him prove to any doubters that he has much more left in the tank than some gave him credit for.
With a six-game winning streak under their belt, it will be interesting to see if James and the Lakers can continue it when they head home to play the Miami Heat.