Los Angeles Lakers
The 2019-20 Los Angeles Lakers season can be defined by the fact that the Lakers are the NBA Champions of the world!!!
What did we learn?
It was the Lakers who were actually the most versatile team in the league.
That should not be too surprising considering that the Lakers have two of the most versatile players in the game.
AD at the 5 and LeBron at the 4. It honestly doesn’t get more versatile than that. The answer to any defensive scheme. The advantage in any matchup. But let’s not forget that the Lakers were far from the favorites or expected to walk away from the 2019-20 season as the #1 seed in the West, let alone as the Champs. LeBron and AD weren’t even the favorite in their own city.
The rest of the Lakers roster was thought of as wearisome without a solidified third option. That doesn’t matter so much as long as you have multiple players capable of stepping up into that role.
Kuzma was the guy we all thought most likely to rise to the occasion, and there were times where Kuz did just that. But it was Rondo who was the biggest X factor and secret weapon in the playoffs. Rondo’s playmaking when LeBron was on the bench was pivotal to the Lakers success. And Rondo’s late-career resurgence from 3 was an unexpected blessing.
For as much shit as everybody gave KCP at the beginning of the season (including this here blog), KCP stepped up in a tremendous way, shooting a crisp 46 percent (!!) on corner threes. It was KCP who was most often the Lakers third scorer in the postseason. Somebody said that Laker fans really bullied KCP into being a great shooter and we haven’t been able to forget it.
We shouted it all season long: Good things happen when Alex Caruso is in the game! Caruso’s high energy and ability to keep the ball moving on offense was constantly a breath of fresh air. Caruso went from the G League to starting in the closeout game of THE FINALS in a very short span. What a glow up for the Bald Mamba.
The Dwight Howard redemption story is everything we hoped and dreamed it would be. Dwight exceeded everyone’s expectations of him this season and was a huge contributor in the Denver series. The Lakers could go BIG BIG.
The rest of the roster did their part, but the main theme here was always AD’s on da way.
We knew that having AD would ease some of the offensive workload for LeBron and that AD would be a savior on defense. What we did not realize was how much AD was going to motivate LeBron to step up his own defensive game. And hats off to Frank Vogel for emphasizing defense from Day 1 and getting everyone to prioritize that side of the ball. One of our favorite stories of the season was that in practice one day early in the preseason, AD got on LeBron for missing or being slow on a rotation. AD straight up called out LeBron in front of everybody. LeBron James! That’s the kind of accountability that every championship team aspires to have. This was LeBron’s best defensive work over the course of a full season since he played in South Beach.
In year 17… LeBron played at the height of his powers! The King led the league in assists — not only did LeBron lead the league in assists, but he finished with 114 more assists than second place — while still averaging 25 points on an efficient 13 shots per game. LeBron has always been the ultimate floor general and like a fine wine, he just keeps getting better with age. His brilliant basketball IQ is unmatched. And he can still flip the switch in the playoffs, too, taking over any game with seismic freight train drives to the rim, using his strength and superior body control to leave docile defenders deterred and helpless.
Speaking of playoffs, the Lakers hadn’t been to the postseason in 7 years. LeBron shows up, gets his guy in AD, and the Lakers are the #1 seed in the West and NBA Champions once again.
LeBron has been to The Finals nine out of the last ten years. Think about if a team had accomplished that. They would be considered a dynasty, right? Well, LeBron is himself an NBA dynasty.
And now LeBron has his Scottie Pippen in the golden prime of his career.
The Lake Show is back!!!
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What is the answer to our Season Preview Final Question?
What day does the season start on?
TACOOOOOO TUESSSSSSSSDAYYYYY!!!!!!
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Would our preseason Over/Under prediction have hit?
OVER 50.5 wins. (61.5% winning pct)
Lakers 2019-20 final record: (52-19) 73% winning pct
YES, our preseason Over/Under prediction hit! The Lakers got their 51st win vs. the Utah Jazz on August 3rd in the bubble.
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What’s Next?
Now more than ever, teams will be gunning for the Lakers, giving the defending champs their best effort on a nightly basis.
The Lakers are reportedly trading Danny Green and the #28 pick in this year’s draft to OKC for Dennis Schroder. We are of the few that will actually miss Danny Green, but we still think this is a steal for the Lakers. Schroder was the 6th Man of the Year in our book with four 30-point games and 33 games of 20+ points. Danny Green is not coming close to matching that kind of offensive production.
With Schroder now on board, is Rondo still in the plan? Seems like LeBron would want to keep him around.
Re-sign Jared Dudley! Dudley is a vet’s VET and said he would knock on Rob Pelinka’s door to get a new deal.
Additional shooting is always helpful. Sounds like Wes Matthews could be in the works.
Remain healthy. One of the biggest trends among champions is the team that stays the healthiest.
Rest up! Next season is only 36 days away.
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Favorite Lakers Highlight from the 2019-20 Season:
Year 17. Still throwing down Akron Hammers and power dunking fools out of the galaxy.
A seriously colossal power dunk. No doubt Level 5.
Meet us at the cleaners.
