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Los Angeles Lakers will prove to be real title contenders on Christmas

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 21: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers palms the ball before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Staples Center on December 21, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 21: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers palms the ball before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Staples Center on December 21, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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The Los Angeles Lakers take on the Golden State Warriors on Christmas’ marquee game in LeBron James’ first game against the Warriors as a Laker.

The Los Angeles Lakers head to the Oracle Arena on Christmas to take on the Golden State Warriors in Christmas’ marquee timeslot. The game tips off at 5 p.m. Pacific and 8 p.m. Eastern and will likely produce the NBA’s best regular season ratings in quite some time.

This game has a big feel. Any game between the two teams is naturally huge because of the Warriors’ status and the Lakers’ prestige and market. This one is even more compelling as it is LeBron James‘ first game as a Laker against the Warriors.

While LeBron has certainly made the Lakers better, there are very few people outside of the Laker fandom that think this is a true title-contending team. Los Angeles can certainly beat the Warriors on Christmas, but surely cannot beat the team in a seven-game playoff series?

Wrong. Not only are the Los Angeles Lakers going to defeat the Warriors on Christmas but the team is going to cement itself a true title-contending team in 2019, not in years beyond.

That might sound asinine but you have to consider the obvious x-factor: LeBron James. LeBron single-handedly carried a much worse Cleveland Cavaliers team to the NBA Finals last season to face the Warriors for the fourth year in a row.

While the series was a sweep, it was one of the closest contested Finals sweeps on all-time and really could have been a completely different series with only a few small changes. LeBron has that effect.

Not only is this Lakers team better than the Cavaliers but they have speed, athleticism and a bit of swagger that the Cavaliers did not possess. They have the young guns that can keep up with the Warriors tempo and the veterans off the bench that have the playoff wherewithal.

While the Lakers won’t be able to keep up with the Warriors three-point barrage, the team has the flexibility of taking the pace to them while also slowing the game down and running the offense through James when needed.

The Lakers have not been perfect this season but there have been certain stretches of really, really good basketball in which the dynamic of the team is showcased. This is a team, that after an entire season of playing together, has the talent to turn some heads in the postseason.

Let’s not forget the elephant in the room, Anthony Davis, and why the Los Angeles Lakers should urgently be trying to trade for him. The only time to get Davis realistically is now, so there is a chance that we must factor the Brow into this.

Either way, this core group of Lakers is going to punch the Warriors in the mouth on Christmas and are going to do so in front of the entire world.

Next. How much is too much for Anthony Davis?. dark

And when the game is over, everyone is going to be talking about how the Los Angeles Lakers are legitimate NBA Title contenders.

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