The Los Angeles Lakers came out ready to play on Opening Night as they defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 110-103 for the franchise’s first opening win since 2016. Anthony Davis was an absolute force on both ends of the court while LeBron James had multiple moments defying what any player should be capable of in his 22nd NBA season.
The Lakers didn’t shoot the ball well but made up for it in other ways such as crashing the offensive glass and forcing turnovers while limiting their own. Most importantly, the Lakers gave outstanding effort all night long with very little let ups over the course of the game.
And LeBron noticed it as well, feeling the Lakers played as complete a game as they have played in a long time in accomplishing the top mission on the night.
“Mission No. 1 was for us to come out and play well and to win,” James said after the victory. “It was my first win on Opening Night as a Laker. I wanted to get that done. I think, as a team, we played as close to 48 minutes of a complete game as well as we could play in a while, so that was great.”
Of course with James making history on this night, sharing the court with his son Bronny in the second quarter, it would be easy for other things to be lost in the shuffle. This is something that has often been the case with LeBron’s history-making moments, as Davis pointed out.
LeBron wasn’t blind to that either, making note that as amazing as that moment was, he and the Lakers are about winning above all else.
“Yeah, I think AD said it on ‘Starting Five’ to some of the behind-the-scenes,” LeBron added. “Like every time you accomplish something, we lose, you need to figure it out. So we figured out tonight to be able to have that moment, like I said. And more importantly, as cool as that was for us, to win too. It’s the winning business.”
On this night, everything fell into place for LeBron James, Bronny James and the rest of the Lakers to accomplish everything they wanted on an individual and team level.
LeBron James will “never forget” sharing court with Bronny James for the first time with Lakers
LeBron James was obviously happy that the Lakers got the victory, but make no mistake that moment with his son Bronny is something that will live on forever in his mind.
“The game within the game, obviously, that moment of us being at the scorers table together and checking in together is something I will never forget no matter how old I get, no matter how my memory may fade as I get older, whatever. I will never forget that moment.”
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