LA Lakers News Roundup: Jeanie Buss shares her thoughts on the show "Winning Time," Patrick Beverley believes he could have been the X-Factor for the Lakers this season and more - May 18th, 2022
The LA Lakers continue to get the most attention among NBA teams in the offseason. They seem destined to have another mediocre season, and the new head coach is expected to have a big impact. Many analysts have commented on the roster construction and implied that just a new coach won't solve matters.
The Lakers have narrowed it down to two coaches: Darvin Ham and Terry Stotts. Ham is the lead assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks, while Stotts is the former Portland Trail Blazers head coach.
There is a lot of information to cover about the Purple and Gold, so let's dive into the top three stories from the last 24 hours.
Patrick Beverley reminds JJ Redick that the LA Lakers won a "bubble championship" in 2020
The LA Lakers won the 2020 NBA title in LeBron James' second season in Los Angeles. The season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic and then restarted in the Orlando Bubble. Twenty-two playoff-worthy teams were invited to the bubble in Florida, where there was no homecourt advantage. Players played with superior confidence because there were no fans to boo them and it felt like hooping in an empty gym.
Due to this, many fans and analysts have not respected the Lakers for winning that title as it was an easier path. Patrick Beverley appeared on "This Just In" with Max Kellerman and JJ Redick and reminded the two that the Lakers' 2020 championship has an asterisk next to it. He said:
"Bubble championship. ... No fans. What about our fans? Our fans are some of the best fans in the world. You think Milwaukee is walking into Boston in the bubble?"
Patrick Beverley let JJ Redick know that the Lakers 2020 NBA Championship was a ‘Bubble Championship.’ 🏆👀
(via @TomerAzarly) https://t.co/9ftQU25hs2
Jeanie Buss reveals her thoughts on the famous Lakers-related show "Winning Time"
![Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as shown in "Winning Time" [Source: IMDb]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/05/1aefb-16529160764277-1920.jpg)
"Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" is a show that tells the story of the LA Lakers and their rise to stardom and multiple championships. Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and several other Lakers legends were shown on the TV series, including Jerry Buss. Buss was the majority owner of the Lakers, winning 10 titles during his tenure, especially in the Showtime era of the 1980s.
Jeanie Buss, the daughter of Dr. Jerry Buss, is now the current controlling owner and president of the Lakers. She finally opened up about the show and commented on a particular scene between Johnson and Jerry Buss. She tweeted:
"It’s clear my thoughts on this show. To see the real story watch the Lakers docuseries coming to Hulu later this year. Meanwhile, someone sent me this clip and asked if it was accurate - it is. When a star player and owner align winning happens."
#DrBussIt’s clear my thoughts on this show. To see the real story watch the Lakers docuseries coming to @hulu later this year. Meanwhile, someone sent me this clip and asked if it was accurate - it is. When a star player and owner align winning happens. 💜#DrBuss https://t.co/KEBk0wcavd
The scene depicted a moment when Buss asked Johnson to partner with him because he wanted to build something special. Jeanie Buss confirmed that the scene was true and expressed her satisfaction with the show.
Patrick Beverley believes his leadership could have powered the LA Lakers this season
Patrick Beverley believes the LA Lakers didn't have proper leadership this season and that is the main reason they failed. He said he could have been the difference to lead the team to the Western Conference finals. He insisted that he wouldn't impact the game from a scoring or playmaking perspective, but purely from leadership and hustle.
On ESPN's "Stephen A's World," Beverley said:
"If I was a free agent and I played for the Lakers, (we’re) going to the playoffs, going to the Western Conference finals. And no discredit to LeBron James, but he’s doing so much, who’s the leader? They had success 'cause there was a leader there. (Rajon) Rondo was there. At the time, he was the leader.
"Who’s the leader? ... It’s not about me scoring 20, it’s not about me having 15 dimes, I wanna win."
Patrick Beverley insists he'd have gotten the Lakers to the conference finals this year because they lacked leadership
uproxx.com/dimemag/patric…