It’s official: The 2019-20 NBA season will resume in July, and a league champion for this season will be crowned.
While all 22 teams that will participate in the resumption are obviously looking forward to playing again, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin says the Los Angeles Lakers are especially excited about returning to the hardwood.
Talking with @KNegandhiESPN about the Lakers’ view of the NBA restart on @SportsCenter pic.twitter.com/Bl5eGzEhBw
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) June 4, 2020
“We’re all excited the NBA figured out a conclusion to the season because it means we have a title to play for,” a team source told McMenamin.
The Lakers hold a 49-14 record as of now, which is 5.5 games ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers for first place in the Western Conference.
When the league suspended play in March due to the novel coronavirus, the Lakers had just come off a couple of statement games. They defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, who hold the league’s best record at 53-12, then beat the Clippers just two days later.
The two victories helped make the Lakers the favorites in the minds of many to capture this year’s NBA title.
Indeed, the Purple and Gold had made themselves into quite the juggernaut, ranking fourth in offensive rating, third in defensive rating and second in fast-break points.
This postseason will be huge for not only the Lakers, but also LeBron James, who will have a golden opportunity at age 35 to win his fourth world championship.
