Who knows if Los Angeles will be on LeBron James’ radar this summer, but if nothing else, the Lakers at least capitalised on their last chance to leave an impression before the end of the season.
Playoff basketball is not in the Lakers’ future next month, so it’s arguable the 127-113 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday was the franchise’s most important game of the season because it showed James first-hand what he could work with if he takes his talents out west as a free agent.
While much of the damage was done by players who may not even be on the roster next season if James relocates, the Lakers’ young guys had their fair share of impressive moments – no one more than Julius Randle.
The bruising forward made mincemeat of the Cavaliers by scoring 36 points on 14-of-18 shooting, while also tallying 14 rebounds, seven assists and two blocks.
Randle will be a restricted free agent this summer, but it’s possible James would want the Lakers to keep him – although that could hinder the team from bringing in a second max contract in addition to LeBron.
Julius Randle balled out!
— NBA (@NBA) March 12, 2018
Career-high 36 points | 14 boards | 7 dimes
The last Lakers player with that many points, rebounds, and assists in a game was Kobe Bryant on March 23, 2008 @EliasSports #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/Mk4lMrqFRp
Rookies Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma, meanwhile, flashed their talent in the win despite not playing their best games.
Ball had five points, seven assists and three rebounds, whereas Kuzma had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Perhaps more than any individual performance by the Lakers, James may have been impressed with their fluidity and style of play.
James complimented head coach Luke Walton after, saying: “Since Luke took over, they’ve improved every single season I think, and you just try to implement that ball movement, that body movement, that he got when he was in Golden State.”
Aside from showing James what the Lakers are capable of, the result was also a double whammy in the sense that it continued to expose how much Cleveland are lacking, even after making the moves they did at the trade deadline to bring in younger players.
The Cavaliers dropped to 6-6 since revamping their roster, with their defence again a major concern as they allowed at least 108 points for the third straight game.
Kevin Love remains sidelined with a fractured hand, while Tristan Thompson (sprained ankle), Rodney Hood (back strain) and Cedi Osman (hip flexor) also missed the contest as Cleveland fielded a less-than-full squad.
James acknowledged the injuries and how they’re hampering the team’s play, but didn’t express confidence when asked if the Cavaliers were heading in the right direction.
“You don’t know,” James answered. “I mean, you don’t know.”
Off the court, the Los Angeles faithful did what they could do make James feel wanted by giving him an applause during the starting lineup introductions.
And last week, billboards went up across the city with the message of “#LABron” in the hopes of luring James in the summer.
Philly isn’t the only team that wants LeBron, judging by these billboards in LA. pic.twitter.com/3M39IFqOf0
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 7, 2018
James has enough on his plate at the moment to be overly concerned with his future beyond this season, but the Lakers and their fans at least gave him something to ponder down the road.