LeBron James’ first match since he turned 40 years old didn’t quite begin the way he wanted. Even as he put up double digits on efficient shooting in the opening quarter, he found the Lakers playing catch-up ball from the get-go. And although the hosts would manage to make a handful of runs for the remainder of the set-to (and even take the lead briefly in the second canto), there was little to no indication that they would emerge victorious at the final buzzer. Absent the counting and advanced stats that tilted heavily in favor of the Cavaliers, they seemed to lack the focus required to pass the eye test.
When all was said and done, the Lakers absorbed a loss in their last set-to of 2024. They might have headed into it with grand expectations, in no small measure because James had hitherto been resplendent in his showings on or around his natal day. Unfortunately, they ran into the Cavaliers, pacesetters in the National Basketball Association for a reason. Not for nothing had stalwarts in the Western Conference laid an egg versus the very franchise that drafted the 20-time All-Star first overall in 2003, and the purple and gold simply became the latest victims.
Interestingly, the West is so bunched up that movement one way or the other following any given encounter invariably disrupts standings. The setback the other day dropped the Lakers two spots to seventh. And while more than half of the 2024-25 campaign remains on the schedule, there is cause to contend that the trend will stay the same. Which is to say every game counts. For the purple and gold, the hope is that new additions Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton will make enough of a difference for them to rise above mediocrity.
Needless to say, much of the Lakers’ fate depends on how well James can keep holding Father Time at bay. This season, the dropoff in his productivity, typically in trickles, has been more pronounced — so much so that he can no longer carry the bulk of the load. In fact, he needs a lot of help; he got some from fellow All-NBA selection Anthony Davis and transplanted playmaker Austin Reaves the other day, and yet they still failed to register a triumph. At the same time, his influence extends off the court; for all the talk about swooning league ratings, he has been a surefire box office draw even in his advancing age.
And therein lies the rub. The Lakers and James are made for each other, compelling draws and perennial subjects for second guessing. He’s keen on summoning his unique brand of magic in timely spurts to get them closer to the hardware, and they’re only too willing to ride him until the wheels fall off.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.