Well at this point in the season, is it even possible that anyone could be out of touch to know how much drama has circulated throughout the media airwaves in the past couple of days surrounding the two superstars, and old adversaries, set to duel on TNT tonight at 8:15 p.m.? The Lakers are on their road trip from this weekend’s Grammy Awards vacating their home abode in the Staples Center, and so they’ve set sail out East to take on some opponents in the opposite conference as the Brooklyn Nets in the Barclays Center are up next on the Lakers’ schedule.
In what was certainly the most startling result of the season, the 35-9 Lakers’ Eastern voyage started out as rocky as one could imagine, getting absolutely pulverized to smithereens by 32 from the lone team they’re hoping to equal in franchise titles this year in the Boston Celtics, and then just so happened to squeezy by the talent-defunct Knicks in MSG. Tonight’s third contest is against a Nets team that’s recent headlines emanate any salient news but what is happening on the court.
So to summarize: last week (or this week, your perspective) Kyrie Irving made some head-turning comments in trying to equate his “insightfulness” and “strife” to that of Martin Luther King, saying criticisms toward his direction are similar to what Dr. King had to endure and that with him being out for several weeks, he is still being attacked from prognosticators and skeptics.
And aside from all of that, his Nets have not been playing the best basketball, now 1-5 since Kyrie’s return to the hardwood. Thursday night marks the 12th time these two prolific stars, once teammates for three years (and 2016 world champs, to reaffirm) face-off in what is to be a pretty entertaining battle between two teams that look to end their weeks on a high note. The Lakers must feel a big sense of confidence, especially in regards to LeBron’s 9-2 all-time record against his old Point Guard.
Against Kyrie, James has been known to put on some clinics, averaging a whopping 25.5 points per matchup. Irving lone wins against James came when he donned Celtic Green and white, winning once against LeBron as a Cavalier in 2018 and once as a Laker in 2019. Yet this season, as much of a turbulence-filled ride it’s been for this newly-assembled Nets team, Irving has averaged 26.5 points per game, as the increase of those numbers faced an impediment due to Irving’s seven-week, 26-game absence as result of a shoulder impingement.
The 18-24 Nets look to right the ship against a Lakers team that, albeit has the best record in the West, is on a bit of an identity crisis as they are still wading the trade waters and seeing who is worth keeping around for LA’s playoff hunt in the third quarter of the season. And be sure to catch all the action at 8:15 p.m. on TNT.
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