History and hindsight have made it a little difficult to contextualize what the Lakers accomplished last winter, the team hoisting a trophy and hanging a banner after winning the NBA’s first in-season tournament.
On one hand, only the Lakers and the Boston Celtics were able to celebrate championships last year. On the other, no one would compare the two, the first nothing more than a novelty the Lakers would’ve happily traded, prize money and all, for even a long-shot chance to win that 18th NBA title instead of the Celtics.
And while the Lakers gladly accepted the hardware and cash bonus that came with winning the NBA Cup, they lost 10 of their next 13 games — a stretch that highlighted the inconsistency that marked last season and led the team to fire Darvin Ham and his coaching staff.
So as the Lakers open their NBA Cup title defense Friday in San Antonio with virtually the same roster as a year ago, it’s more than fair to wonder what, if anything, this stretch of games means to them.
And like last year, it doesn’t seem too tough to figure out.
“We just want the money,” forward Rui Hachimura said Wednesday with a chuckle. “I think that’s the one thing … last year, we were very motivated. We have the big prize.”
Like last year, the Lakers will have to survive group play to advance to the knockout round. They’re in a group with the Spurs, the Phoenix Suns, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Utah Jazz.
And while the special courts and alternate uniforms all reinforce the idea that these games are supposed to be different, coach JJ Redick thinks his players will have an “another day at the office” approach.
“I expect our guys to be highly competitive. Said this a number of times last year, you don’t need to give a reason to competitive people to compete,” he said Wednesday after the Lakers’ third straight win. “They wake up in the morning, they wanna compete. And the games count for the regular season. We all recognize how difficult the Western Conference is. And every game is gonna matter.”
Guard Austin Reaves, who starred in the NBA Cup final a year ago despite an illness, agrees with Redick. The goal is to win every game. No more, no less.
Well, OK, maybe a little more.
“I mean, $500,000 is $500,000,” Reaves said.
Actually, the prize pool ticked up slightly with all players on the winning team collecting $514,970.
“Need that,” rookie forward Dalton Knecht said with a smile.
Friday’s game against the Spurs will give the Lakers their first look at Victor Wembanyama this season, the 7-foot-3 phenom fresh off scoring a career-high 50 points Wednesday night. The title defense and cash prize won’t change Anthony Davis’ approach.
“We know it kind of was the hype around us last year, but we’re approaching each game — regular-season game or Cup game — as the same,” the Lakers big man said. “I don’t think just because it’s a Cup game that we should change how we approach it. We should approach each game the same way and that’s how we’re going to approach it.”
LeBron James, the tournament’s most valuable player, said his thoughts Friday will be elsewhere — on the health of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who’s recovering after he recently suffered a mild stroke.
“For me personally, there’s much bigger news out of San Antonio right now and that’s my dear friend Coach Pop. And I’ll be thinking heavily about him as I travel there tomorrow, the game on Friday,” James said. “And I’m wishing him the best of health. And hopefully, I see him soon. It doesn’t even have to be on the sidelines. Hopefully I’ll just see him soon. That’s the most important for me.”