The Los Angeles Lakers finally defeated the Portland Trailblazers after experiencing a scare late in the game when a Damian Lillard-less Blazers equaled the score in the fourth quarter.
With the victory, the Lakers ended an eight year drought of winning a Playoff series and moved on to the second round.
However, throughout the game, these five major pointers were highlighted:
CJ McCollum Is Worthy Of His Own Team:
Always hiding in the shadow of the greatness of Damian Lillard, Blazers Guard CJ McCollum stepped up in the absence of the team’s leader, and had himself the best game of his Playoff career (36 pts, 07 Asts, 06 Rebs).
Ever since winning the Most Improved Player’s recognition at the end of the 2015-16 season, McCollum has been an inseparable part of the Portland franchise and can become the main guy for over half the teams in the league.
Carmelo Anthony Should Retire Now:
The 2019-2020 season has been extraordinar for Carmelo Anthony. Being relieved from the Rockets with no other team willing to take him at the beginning to the Blazers putting their faith in him and Melo showing up when it mattered the most. It is a befitting conclusion to the story of a sheer scorer.
And that’s why Melo should call it a career in the off season. He got his swansong and earned the respect of the people of Portland and the rest of the league too.
Lakers’ Defense Will Help Them Win The Title:
With Anthony Davis blocking high-arching shots, LeBron stepping up defence as the season progresses, and guys like Kyle Kuzma and Alex Caruso intercepting passes and grabbing pesky steals to disrupt Blazers’ offence, it is evident that LakeShow's greatest strength is all-round defense.
While long-range shots and mid-range jumpers will come and go, the Lakers need to focus and rely on their lockdown defense and the rest will be taken care of.
LeBron James Continues To Create History:
The ‘Washed King’ continues to put on a show regardless of which jersey he dons. A 30-point triple double in 34 minutes of game play, James continues to be undefeated in the first round of playoffs.
Despite struggling with a groin injury, James not only played at a level we are so used to but also continued to make the matchup so much easier for his squad than it should have been.
The Lakers Are Still Trash Without LeBron James
After having competed through the regular season and the first round of the Playoffs, it is clearer than ever how much James contributes to his team’s wins.
The stint in the latter half of the game when James stepped out of the court for a breather after having the Lakers take a double digit lead, only for CJ McCollum and Gary Trent Jr. to erase it in a hurry, shows the dysfunctionality of the Purple and Gold without the King.
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