LeBron James Effect
The so-called LeBron James Effect was on display at the start of free agency last month. And because he veered from script and announced his free agency decision quickly, other hopefuls — the Cavaliers, Sixers, and Rockets included — reacted accordingly and used salary cap space otherwise reserved for him to fill their respective rosters. Meanwhile, the Lakers themselves failed to leverage their stroke of good fortune into more heralded signings, instead coming up with a decidedly uneven haul of JaVale McGee, Lance Stephenson, and Rajon Rondo.
Still, it’s clear that pundits have taken due notice of James’s arrival and adjusted their prognoses of the Lakers. The Westgate Superbook in Las Vegas, for example, tabs their over/under mark at 48.5, a significant improvement from their 35-victory mark through the 2017-18 season. Should the prediction prove true, the number will be the purple and gold’s best since their 2010-11 campaign, when they notched 57 wins and lasted until the conference semifinals. Likewise, it will ensure the first playoff appearance for the purple and gold in six years. Significantly, Westgate projects that more bettors will lean on the premise of the Lakers exceeding the figure. Given the relative weakness of their roster, the positive outlook stems wholly from James’s presence. It’s borne of history, to be sure; not for nothing has he been a fixture in the playoffs since 2005, and then in the Finals for the last eight years. And he just completed a season in which he played every game and dragged the talent-challenged Cavaliers to a runner-up finish.
For all the bullishness on James, though, even casual observers know that the road to the championship series has gotten much harder, and not just because the juggernaut Warriors are in the way. It’s a testament to the level of competition in the West that Westgate has such notables as the Spurs and the Blazers on the outside looking in. Under the circumstances, homecourt advantage in the first round should be a major feat. In fact, it may well count among his greatest accomplishments.
For all the bullishness on James, though, even casual observers know that the road to the championship series has gotten much harder, and not just because the juggernaut Warriors are in the way. It’s a testament to the level of competition in the West that Westgate has such notables as the Spurs and the Blazers on the outside looking in. Under the circumstances, homecourt advantage in the first round should be a major feat. In fact, it may well count among his greatest accomplishments.