Lakers to play first round of playoffs against Timberwolves
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James warms up before an NBA basketball gameAP
The Lakers are coming off their first 50-win season since 2020, the year they won their last championship, secured the third seed in the Wild West, and will face the Timberwolves, a team they played four times this season, winning twice each time. It was also the team against which the Lakers played their first game of the season, where Bronny James made his debut alongside his father, LeBron James. Speaking of LeBron, the “King” will be playing in his 18th playoff series in his 22 years in the league, and his 183 wins are a record in the NBA‘s 79 seasons. “Unfortunately, he would be one win short of 200 playoff victories if the Lakers win the championship, as he needs 17 to reach 200, and if the math is correct, you need 16 to be a champion.
Rich Paul Reflects on Miami’s ‘Big 3’ Dynamics
But as the Lakers and LeBron James await the first game of the series on Saturday, Rich Paul, LeBron’s agent and friend, commented on the Pat McAfee show about LeBron’s years in Miami alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Paul said that the trio wasn’t a true “Big 3,” but that Bosh “was the ultimate professional and he took a backseat and played a role”. Maybe so, because all teams have their stars and their role players who are equally important, but Bosh was a five-time All-Star before he arrive in Miami and what Wade and James needed under the basket to organize the defense and grab rebounds. You’ll remember Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Spurs, where he grabbed the rebound to assist Ray Allen.
Now retired, Chris Bosh is in the Hall of Fame. He made 11 All-Star teams, including one for each year he was in Miami. During the years LeBron James was in Miami, the Heat were +10.2 points per 100 possessions with Bosh on the floor and +2.2 when he was off the floor. So it’s clear that Bosh had a role and that the Heat were indeed a Big Three. I don’t know why Paul made those comments that slightly diminished Bosh.
The Dominance of Miami’s Big Three
This Heat team was fearsome. During their four seasons together, the Heat dominated, winning two NBA titles (2012, 2013) and reaching the Finals all four years, compiling a 224-88 regular season record (.718 winning percentage). They also had an incredible 27-game winning streak in 2013, the second longest in NBA history. James, Bosh, and Wade – the first, fourth, and fifth picks in the 2003 NBA Draft – combined for some amazing stats: James averaged 26.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 7.2 assists; Wade, 22.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.1 assists; and Bosh, 18.4 points and 8.1 rebounds.
LeBron’s Quest for a Fifth Ring
But that Heat was many years ago, and now LeBron James must be focused on winning his fifth ring, his second in Los Angeles, to join the likes of Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson and Tim Duncan with five titles. He also has to keep in mind that a playoff matchup with Stephen Curry is very likely, and Curry also has four rings; that would be a very interesting and obviously entertaining matchup.
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For LeBron, the team he has with the Lakers is enough to compete with any team; he has Luka Doncic, who reached the Finals with Dallas last season, as his best ally. Austin Reaves is playing beautifully, as are the other role players like Rui Hachimura and Dorian Finney-Smith.
Stay tuned as the playoffs, especially in the West, promise to be very close and intense. Personally, Clippers vs. Nuggets will be the most entertaining, but both Warriors vs. Houston and this Lakers series will go at least six games. The best part of the season is about to begin!
