The Lakers are chasing a championship, and Davis’s performance in their 111-88 win over the Blazers on Thursday night was one that his team needed. He also played suffocating defense as the Lakers won their first playoff game in — wait for it — eight years. But he also looked and sounded more animated than he had since the Lakers arrived in the bubble. Afterward, James pointed to the season that the Lakers had endured, rattling through the various events — some tragic — that had befallen them. There was the Lakers’ preseason trip to China, after which James waded into a geopolitical storm involving a rival general manager.

Source: New York Times August 21, 2020 11:26 UTC