The Los Angeles Lakers went from a 13th seed to the Western Conference Finals in a matter of months. But everything comes full circle. The second stints of D’Angelo Russell and Dennis Schroder have been huge components to the revitalization of the Lakers season.
D’Angelo Russell left the Lakers and played with the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves before ending up back with the Lakers. But he's older, wiser, smarter, more efficient and showing why he's a solid point guard in the league. It's amazing to see how growth happens and you come into your own as a man and as an NBA player.
With Dennis Schroder, people made him out to be crazy for not taking the contract extension the Lakers offered him a few years ago, leaving the team and now back in LA contributing. People had their thoughts, feelings and opinions on his play, how ironic. The players who moved on ended up back and everything came back full circle.
Trades midseason shifted and changed the landscape of this team and the season. It's amazing how certain events can shift a season in a totally different direction. With the play of Austin Reaves, this team is destined for the NBA Finals. He's a game changer, he's not afraid of the moment and he wants to be great.
Reaves is what Kyle Kuzma provided on the 2020 championship team, efficient scoring and taking the load off of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Lonnie Walker IV is what JR Smith provided to the 2020 Lakers team, a sharpshooter who can knock down threes and create off the dribble. These guys continue to work, stay in the moment and always are ready when their name and numbers are called.
LeBron and Davis are expected to bring their ‘A’ games (granted AD doesn't always do that) but I'm sure AD will be motivated to go against Denver's frontcourt of Jokic and Gordon. There's a drive with this team and it shows, they just have one more series to take care of and they'll be back in the NBA Finals for the second time in the last three years.
What happened after the 2020 NBA Finals was forgetting what got them there and winning it. The formula for success is there again and LeBron James is poised to make his 11th NBA Finals appearance in his 20 year NBA career. If that isn't greatness, then you don't love and respect the game of basketball and what the essence of it truly is.
When it's all said and done, remember, everything always comes back full circle…
