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“The League Is Shaking”: Lakers Fans Buoyant After “Beautiful Surprise” vs Heat in the Absence of LeBron James and Anthony Davis

Published 01/05/2023, 5:15 AM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

The Purple and Gold team was without its superstars tonight, LeBron James and Anthony Davis. While AD is still out with a right foot injury, LeBron was listed as unavailable due to a non-COVID illness. The Los Angeles Lakers took on Miami Heat today at the Crypto.com Arena. The NBA world assumed that without their two key players, the Lakers would not be able to pull off a win. But if the NBA has taught anything, it is this: anything can happen in the game.

LeBron’s team (17-21) won against the Heat (20-19), 112-109. The Lakers fans were jubilant at the “beautiful surprise“, while another commented that “the league is shaking“.

The Lakers clock in another win

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The team rallied with Dennis Schroder and Russell Westbrook at its helm. They won their third consecutive win, which helped them improve their record in the NBA table. The Lakers fans expressed their happiness on social media. Here are some of the reactions.

Schroder finished the night with 32 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. Russell Westbrook scored 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists. The Lakers were in the lead during the first two quarters. But they managed to keep the heat in the third quarter. However, Dennis Schroder rolled his ankle in the fourth quarter but he kept playing.

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As the media noted, he embodied the “toughness and resiliency the Lakers have demonstrated all night“. The entire team filled in the blanks for each other and the win could be classified as a collective team effort.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis return to the court?

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It would come as an added source of relief that Anthony Davis has been progressing well with his recovery. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the franchise has been “encouraged with the progress” and added that AD “continues to be relatively pain-free“. He also said that Davis was seen running on the court. He has only been an asset to the team when he plays.

USA Today via Reuters

LeBron James would hopefully get back soon, after what seems to be a battle with a common cold. LeBron has been phenomenal of late. He scored 40-plus points in his last two games. The 38-year-old NBA champion has been averaging 29 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.6 assists.

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Written by:

Rekha Joly

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Rekha Joly is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports. She earned a triple major in English, Journalism, and Psychology from St. Joseph's College, Bangalore.
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Edited by:

Ajinkya Aswale