Faith in James

There was pep in LeBron James’ step from the moment he set foot in Madison Square Garden on Sunday. He was clearly looking forward to the only game the Lakers would be playing at the Mecca of basketball for the season — perhaps even more than his recent bouts against the Knicks in recent memory. No doubt, his advancing age had much to do with the heightened anticipation; for all his remarkable capacity to defy Father Time, he understood that the end of his pro career was near. There were only so many more set-tos in his calendar, and he aimed to make the best of the opportunities afforded him.

To be sure, the Lakers were only too glad to ride on James’ coattails on Sunday. With Anthony Davis still out due to an abdominal strain, they knew well enough to rely on the leadership and direction of the 21-time All-Star if they were to have any chance of taking the measure of the Knicks. It wasn’t simply that they faced the holders of the league’s longest current winning streak. It was that their losing record on the road reflected the frailties of their uneven roster even more.

Fast forward to the end of the contest, and the Lakers found their faith in James rewarded with an emphatic win. Needless to say, James was nothing short of outstanding; he put up 33, 11, and 13 in 37 minutes on the court to spearhead a balanced effort which saw four more stalwarts of the purple and gold score at least 15 points. More importantly, he anchored the defense as well; he called out the Knicks’ plays as they were happening, enabling excellent coverage that limited the effectiveness of newly named All-Star starters Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Only time will tell how many more spectacular showings James can still summon, but it’s clear that the Lakers have bet on the under. High fives for the triumph against the Knicks were still being exchanged when stunning news came of Luka Dončić’s impending arrival vice Davis. The trade deal, akin to a succession plan, has major implications. It sets up their future once the leading scorer in National Basketball Association history hangs up his jersey, but it likewise handicaps them in the immediate term.

Make no mistake. The Lakers got the much better end of the swap; the offer was just too good for them to pass up. That said, they have also effectively ended any chance of James exiting with another championship. Even as they were hardly among the established elite with Davis, their chances to claim the hardware are much worse now without him. They have taken a step back, but, admittedly, are also poised to forge two steps ahead. Against the Knicks, they handled the business of basketball; with the Mavericks, they handled basketball as a business.

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.