❚ Vets push Lakers forward
LOS ANGELES – LeBron James this week offered a glimpse of what things might look like if he can lead the Lakers to an NBA championship.
Not so much as how he and the Lakers played as by how they celebrated.
A beaming James embraced teammate Tyson Chandler and the two men shouted joyously at each other amid a cheering crowd of 18,997 at Staples Center. James scored the winning basket on a put-back dunk with 15.3 seconds remaining, and Chandler’s last-second blocked shot preserved the 107-106 Nov. 11 victory over the Hawks.
With the win, the Lakers moved above .500 (7-6) for the first time since James joined the club.
So what was James shouting at Chandler after the 7-1 center blocked Trae Young’s flip shot down the lane?
“Honestly, I don’t know,” Chandler said while standing in front of his locker. “We were like two kids jumping for joy.”
On cue, James shouted from across the locker room and ended the mystery of what he’d shouted at Chandler.
“I said, ‘That’s my dawg! My dawg!’ ” James said as Chandler broke into a grin.
On Oct. 30, Magic Johnson chewed out Lakers coach Luke Walton for the team’s 2-5 start. Since then, the Lakers are 5-1 entering the week, with the loss coming to the 12-1 Raptors, who have the best record in the NBA.
Chandler, who joined the team three games ago, has played a significant role in the Lakers’ recent surge and gave reason for James to celebrate as if he was having Larry O’Brien Trophy flashbacks or Larry O’Brien Trophy visions.
“I haven’t changed anything outwardly, but you know me. You know how I am. I almost cracked (last week). I had to sit back and remind myself, ‘(Expletive), you knew what you were getting yourself into,’ ” James told Yahoo Sports after a Nov. 10 win in Sacramento. “This process has been good for me. I just have to continue being patient.”
Before we get carried away:
The Nov. 11 victory came against 3-10 Atlanta.
The Lakers let a doubledigit lead slip away in the fourth quarter and committed 22 turnovers.
And James missed more clutch free throws, including two with the Lakers trailing 106105 with 19.9 seconds left.
Referring to James, Chandler said, “You know, we both want exactly the same thing, and that’s to turn (around) this historic franchise. … And in order for that, you’ve got to have these types of moments.”