From the above post:

3. Los Angeles Lakers (38-21)
Last ranking: 6
In the last week: W vs. DAL, W vs. MIN, W vs. LAC, W vs. LAC
Offensive rating: 114.2 (10th)
Defensive rating: 112.6 (13th)

Biggest games left: March 14 at DEN, March 19 vs. DEN, March 29 at MEM, March 31 vs. HOU, April 11 vs. HOU

Last week, I wrote how the Luka Dončić heist allowed the Lakers to approximate last year’s Dallas Mavericks roster that won the West. They’re the best team in basketball since Jan. 20 and have been led by a defense that refuses to allow points in the paint. They’re not going to catch the Thunder in the regular season, but the Lakers should be considered the biggest threat to Oklahoma City while adopting to their new role as the hunted team for home-court advantage in the Western Conference semifinals.

From above article:

So, yes, in other words, the time has officially come to recant my previous stance that the fit between these two was “not great.”

There are always receipts on social media, where the notifications started lighting up late Tuesday night when folks began retweeting, and chastising, my appearance on NBA TV not long after the deal went down. Rightfully so.

In my defense, though, the great Charles Barkley had the same concerns about these two ball-dominant legends finding a way to make it work. And since misery loves company, I’m inviting Chuck to this pity party.

Second, there’s some context here that is worth revisiting, which might help explain my skeptical mood at the time. As I wrote on Feb. 2, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss was not enjoying the dynamic between the organization and her team’s top two stars from Klutch Sports, James and Anthony Davis, before the trade changed everything. There was the Jan. 22 ESPN report indicating that James and Davis were “growing concerned” about the Lakers’ ability to upgrade the roster, followed by the on-camera interview that Davis granted to the network in which he openly expressed his frustrations about having to play center (he has long preferred power forward). Buss shared her candid view of it all in an interview with NPR this week.

“We’re happy we have him,” Buss said of Dončić. “We have lost the last three years in a row to the Denver Nuggets in the playoffs, and we really didn’t have anything (on the roster) that was going to look different going into the playoffs again. Anthony Davis was complaining about where he was being played, and he wasn’t happy. So I think this was a positive for both teams.”

So … what does this have to do with LeBron and how he might fit with Dončić?

It’s nuanced, but here’s the answer: At that time, it wasn’t clear just yet how James might react to his close friend and co-star being shipped out of town in exchange for a younger star with a similar skill set who would instantly become the most important player in the Lakers’ program. There were signs of strain in this partnership between James and the Lakers, with questions looming about whether either party would want to continue beyond this summer if there was no real hope in sight. It was fair to wonder how James might handle this new chapter ahead.

As we now know, James has decided to embrace Dončić in the kind of whole-hearted way that could create one of the most entertaining and unique dynamic duos the game has ever seen. Not only is James somehow playing at an MVP-caliber level at this unprecedented late stage, but he’s meshing with Dončić as well as anyone could have imagined. The credit should be shared, to be sure, but first-year Lakers coach J.J. Redick and his well-respected staff deserve a major hat tip for the part they’ve played in making this work in the early going.

“(With) LeBron, it’s big-time of him just to kind of hand over a little bit of the ball control,” said Redick, who has two former head coaches on his bench (Scott Brooks and Nate McMillan), as well as an assistant in Greg St. Jean who was with Dončić in Dallas previously and was also on Frank Vogel’s Lakers staff when they won the title in 2020.

“We weren’t having LeBron bring it up a ton. But even in the half court, (James) just playing off ball and being comfortable with that, I think, is huge. And obviously he’s still scoring at a very high level. We’re going to get him the ball. When Luka’s not in the game, we’re going to have him as the primary guy. … But being shot-ready, all that stuff, I think, has been fantastic.”

The hope from here, as the Lakers see it, is for Dončić to continue to get comfortable while soaking up all that training knowledge from James along the way. If that happens, with Dončić becoming the Luke Skywalker to LeBron’s Yoda as he enters his prime, then my prediction that this might not work should be forever enshrined in the @oldtakesexposed vault.

At this rate, Luka and LeBron will be carpooling to Crypto before long.

‘Vincent Van Doe’ is the hardest nickname you’ll EVER hear for a trio of role players (via @zain_gogh, r/Lakers) pic.twitter.com/RrQyVD9SZt— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) March 4, 2025

"I'm not gonna sit here and sugar coat it, it's a hell of a lot of points… it's special."LBJ talks with @LakersReporter on reaching 50k points after tonight's win over the Pelicans. pic.twitter.com/qOHoaoJ7kY— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) March 5, 2025

This really puts 50k into perspective. No one is coming even remotely close to this in our lifetime. pic.twitter.com/FHdJ64L1Je— LeBron History (@bronhistory) March 5, 2025

We will never see anyone play into their 40's and be putting up prime time numbers like this man is doing. I have said that i would wait until he retires before i argue his name in Goat conversation, but after this. I can honestly say that Lebron is the GOAT! https://t.co/l8lFgWqZxw— Eddie A Johnson (@Jumpshot8) March 5, 2025

From above article:

One long-time Lakers expert believes Luka Doncic is bringing to the team what Anthony Davis just couldn’t. And given that the team is 11-2 since the Slovenian superstar arrived, it’s hard to argue that point.

But it hasn’t been just the arrival of Luka Doncic. LeBron James is playing at an elite level despite turning 40 in December. One former Lakers star believes LeBron deserves to win MVP this season.

A lot of the credit, however, lies with JJ Redick, who has done a phenomenal job of coaching the Lakers. And tonight, he employed a bold strategy to defeat the Pelicans.

JJ Redick made Lakers shoot several threes

Speaking after the game, JJ Redick spoke about how he wanted the Los Angeles Lakers to play against the Pelicans. He noted that given how the Pels defend, he instructed the Lakers to start taking more shots from distance.

Redick noted that their defensive and offensive game would allow the Lakers to get open shots. That is exactly what happened, as they sealed the win.

“Going into this game, we knew we were going to be able to take a ton of threes. Since Zion got back, their 30th in three-point attempt rate…”

“We knew they were going to mix things up with Bron and Luka. We felt like if we were disciplined with our spacing and made the right passes, we were going to launch tonight and we did.

The Lakers converted 19 of their 52 attempts from deep, setting their new season high for threes attempted during a game.

Redick has Lakers playing brilliant basketball

When JJ Redick first accepted the Los Angeles Lakers head coaching position, there were a lot of sceptics. No one dared question Redick’s acumen, but his lack of experience made people nervous.

Well, despite having not coached at any level before joining the Lakers, Redick has become a brilliant star for their team.

Stephen A. Smith has backed JJ Redick as a strong candidate for NBA Coach of the Year. And given that he took this roster to the second seed in the West, there is almost no argument that can be made against him.

Redick has also seemingly inspired LeBron James to step up his game, as the 40-year-old continues to defy time, age, and injuries to play elite basketball.

JJ REDICK NOW HAS THE LAKERS SHOOTING OVER 40 3'S PER GAME!The addition of Luka Doncic was the final move that rookie head coach JJ Redick needed to get the Lakers to finally fully embrace the 3-point shot and the modern NBA. Last night, the Lakers deliberately took over 50… pic.twitter.com/SFXm9gahok— LakerTom (@LakerTom) March 5, 2025

NBA Twitter told me this defense was food tho pic.twitter.com/8a3eyVLdYw— Lakers Muse (@LALMuse) March 5, 2025

Look at this Defense by Jaxson Hayes.Look at this REBOUND by Jaxson Hayes.That is a BIG BOY Rebound.Homie’s still only 24yo.😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/G0IE41Cf88— Lakers Legacy (@LakersLegacyPod) March 5, 2025

I mean…Just look at this DEFENSE by Jaxson Hayes.Cleans up the possessions himself too.Jaxson has been Unlocked. 🔓 pic.twitter.com/MUhkkhimTH— Lakers Legacy (@LakersLegacyPod) March 5, 2025

Lakers defense is special pic.twitter.com/56XGCx89MU— Lakers Empire (@LakersEmpire) March 5, 2025

This possession captures the LAL defensive approach + identity Take away the rim + bet on recovery/scramble 2 passes awayAnd when you have Lebron James engaged defensively at this level……..it spells trouble for the opposition pic.twitter.com/xYZDrE5pJn— LAbound (@LAbound2) March 5, 2025

Brončić combines for 64 PTS in W over Pelicans 👑🪄Bron: 34 PTS, 8 REB, 6 ASTLuka: 30 PTS, 8 REB, 15 ASTLakers are 17-3 in their last 20 games 💪 pic.twitter.com/jNakuTmW18— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 5, 2025

Brončić combines for 64 PTS in W over Pelicans 👑🪄Bron: 34 PTS, 8 REB, 6 ASTLuka: 30 PTS, 8 REB, 15 ASTLakers are 17-3 in their last 20 games 💪 pic.twitter.com/jNakuTmW18— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 5, 2025

Jaxson Hayes is THRIVING 💯SHOW SOME LOVE TO OUR CENTER 💛💜 pic.twitter.com/lnF51aiqs9— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) March 5, 2025

Final 📊LeBron: 34 pts, 8 reb, 6 ast, 2 blkLuka: 30 pts, 15 ast, 8 reb, +37Jaxson: 19 pts, 10 rebVando: 12 pts, 8 reb, 2 blk, +27Shake: 12 pts, 2 ast, 2 stl, +30Dalton: 13 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast pic.twitter.com/IM132z5bKM— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 5, 2025

LeBron James & Luka Doncic are the first duo in Lakers history to each record 30 PTS & 5 3PM. pic.twitter.com/b9vuRjGTFN— StatMamba (@StatMamba) March 5, 2025

Season-best seven-game winning streak for the squad pic.twitter.com/YOKSDdrfX6— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 5, 2025

The Lakers since January 15th:— 19-4 (best record in the NBA)— 6th in OFF RTG (117.7)— 1st in DEF RTG (107.9)— 3rd in NET RTG (9.8)— 2nd in EFG% (57.7)— 2nd in TS% (61.1) pic.twitter.com/37wJUH4shs— Witness King James (@WITNESSKJ) March 5, 2025

First five for the Purple & Gold @ToyotaSoCal | #SuitingUpTogether pic.twitter.com/tHAzHcEJxn— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 5, 2025

The most Player of the Month awards in NBA history:41 — LeBron17 — Kobe16 — Jordan15 — Durant12 — Shaq pic.twitter.com/pauC6N16kY— Witness King James (@WITNESSKJ) March 4, 2025

Austin Reaves was a nominee for Western Conference Player of the Month for February, which went to teammate LeBron James— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) March 4, 2025

Congratulations to @KingJames on being selected Western Conference Player of the Month! pic.twitter.com/hVErIsAbIg— Klutch Sports Group (@KlutchSports) March 4, 2025

Luka Doncic is expected to “carry over his loyalty” to the Lakers, per @ShamsCharania:“Talking to people around Luka Doncic, he had no intention of ever leaving Dallas. I think that's going to carry over to the Lakers. I think he's loving his time in L.A."(via @RealGM) pic.twitter.com/VNUWXhBR3I— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 4, 2025

Shams mentioned on The Pat McAfee show today that after talking to people around Luka, he was in the mindset of “one team, one city, forever” with the Dallas Mavericks but now “that’s going to carry over to the Lakers.”— The Lakers Review (@TheLakersReview) March 4, 2025