If it isn’t a new day for the Los Angeles Lakers after the three trades they made just ahead of the trade deadline, it at least looks like the sun has come out for them after a long rainstorm.
Their new-look roster took the court in San Francisco versus the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night and showed some qualities their previous iteration failed to display.
Even without LeBron James (Golden State was without Stephen Curry), L.A. played with good energy throughout and held up remarkably well throughout a close and somewhat physical contest.
Lately, the Lakers have had lots of trouble winning close contests. But tonight, they continually produced stops and made enough smart plays offensively to close out the defending NBA champs, 109-103.
Perhaps it’s just a matter of time before the Purple and Gold return to their customary spot in the upper echelon of the league.