LeBron James news: Aaron Gordon's poster dunk shouldn't have counted
Not a ton went right for the Los Angeles Lakers in their opening night loss to the Denver Nuggets, especially once the second half rolled around. It was a competitive game at various points, but the Nuggets operated as the clearly superior unit all night.
The exclamation point for Denver came with about seven minutes left in the third quarter when Jamal Murray lobbed it up to Aaron Gordon on the fast break. We all know the story at this point. Gordon is one of the best vertical athletes in the sport, and he hammered it through the net with none other than LeBron James in the vicinity.
An opening night poster.
While those caught up in the moment watched Gordon and Murray trot back down the floor, closer inspection of the highlight reveals LeBron motioning to the refs — potentially taking issue with Gordon's dunk.
As it turns out, James was on to something. The refs missed Gordon's hand holding the rim, which should have been ruled offensive interference and no basket.
"It was a bad pass," Murray told reporters after the game. "It was a really bad pass. I was thinking about putting it on myself at the time it was moving up."
Gordon was compensating for an errant lob — and it's still a remarkable feat of athleticism that should slide based on cool points alone — but rules are rules. It probably wouldn't have changed the outcome of the game, but Denver got a shot of adrenaline and a morale boost that should have technically belonged to the Lakers.
LeBron James news: Charles Barkley speaks harshly about Anthony Davis' struggles
Anthony Davis started the season strong with 17 points in the first half of Tuesday's opener. Then the second half arrived. Davis went scoreless in the third and fourth quarters, stymying any potential for a Lakers comeback. After the game, Davis received unsparing criticism from TNT analyst and Hall of Fame forward Charles Barkley.
"I said when he was in New Orleans [that] this guy is going to be the best basketball player in the world in the next five years. He's not even mentioned anymore when you talk about the best players in the game. LeBron has said it publicly: It's (Davis's) team now. And you wonder when the light is going to kick on because he [doesn't] have to play great every night, but you can't go a whole half and not score."
It's hard to disagree with Chuck on this one. For as great and undeniable a talent Davis is, he too often falls victim to passivity. He was a dominant two-way force in the playoffs, but his inability to take over games offensively was a major roadblock in the Lakers' conference finals loss to Denver.
Consistency is the key for Davis. It's what separates him from elite No. 2 status and all-time great player status. He's probably going to make the Hall of Fame one day — he's already on the NBA 75th Anniversary squad — and Davis will forever have the Lakers' 2020 championship ring. He is, at worst, a top-15 or 20 player in the NBA, So, any criticism comes with the general understanding that he is far better than most. Still... Barkley is right. Too often, Davis pulls a disappearing act in critical moments. The Lakers' flawed offense cannot survive it.
Davis has never been a natural self-creator, which is part of what makes the conversation around his game different from other superstars. He can face up from the elbow or use his size as a wrecking ball in the post, but he's not innately inclined to shoot from the perimeter or seek out his own shot. He's much more comfortable stepping into assisted mid-range jumpers or dominating easy touches at the rim.
That is part of the equation here. Davis' reliance on teammates can lead to a general lack of forcefulness on his part. The Lakers would benefit from Davis striking a more balanced approach — he certainly can generate his own offense when he puts his mind to it — but time and time again, Davis goes quiet at inopportune times.
LeBron James news: Minutes restriction leads to frustration after loss to Nuggets
LeBron James was productive in the Lakers' opening night loss to Denver, accumulating 21 points, eight rebounds, and five assists on 10-of-16 shooting. More important, however, was the total number of minutes LeBron played: 29.
At first glance, it's strange for LeBron — arguably the best player on the team — to only receive 29 minutes in a game the Lakers were very much capable of winning. It's the first game of the season, too, so injuries and rest shouldn't factor into a player who is, by all accounts, healthy.
Darvin Ham told ESPN's Dave McMenamin that James will play 28-to-30 minutes on average this season. He is essentially on a season-long pitch count. At 38 years old, and with two decades years of rigorous NBA basketball under his belt, one can hardly be surprised that the Lakers are taking the extra cautious approach with LeBron's health. Especially after he missed 27 games last season.
James, however, doesn't appear thrilled about the setup. It clearly irked him after Tuesday's difficult loss.
"I always want to be on the floor, especially when you have an opportunity to win a game and you feel you can make an impact," he said. "But I guess there's a system in place and I'll follow it."
LeBron knows his body better than most, so the Lakers should at least listen to their star forward when it comes to preventative load management. Still, it feels like the smart play — even if LA runs the risk of losing games because James isn't on the floor enough. If more games like Tuesday's start to pile up, however, the Lakers could pivot to save their season. James is still that dude.
