The Los Angeles Lakers, one of the NBA's most historically successful franchises with 17 championships, tied for the most in league history, and an impressive 32 Finals appearances, which is 10 more than any other team. Remarkably, for the initial 68 years of the franchise's existence, they consistently featured at least one future Hall of Famer on their roster.

Recently, LeBron James, a key figure in the Lakers' storied legacy, took center stage, barely damp from a postgame champagne celebration after securing the MVP of the NBA's inaugural in-season tournament on Saturday. Placing the well-earned trophy on his left, he shared the moment with the person instrumental in making the hardware possible. Interestingly, this celebration followed a championship win over the Indiana Pacers where, quite frankly, the performance of his teammate outplayed even the formidable LeBron James.

Even with an outstanding performance from Anthony Davis, amassing 41 points, 20 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 blocks that led to Myles Turner fouling out while defending against the relentless attacks to the paint by the Los Angeles Lakers' big man, there were no issues with the established pecking order for James and Davis.

“First to do it, first to win it. We know it’s not the real thing,” Davis said with a smile afterward.

"I know who I am, he knows who he is," In response to a question from ESPN about his enduring partnership with Anthony Davis, now entering its fifth season, LeBron James remarked that it has surpassed the durations of his collaborations with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, as well as with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love in Cleveland.”

"So, there's no friction. We're not trying to compete with one another on the court or on a lifestyle basis. He knows who he is, I know who I am. The only thing we're trying to do is hold each other accountable when we get to work and try to be the best we can be for each other, and when one is not going well, try to pick each other up. There's no jealousy. There's not a jealous bone in our bodies. We're never jealous of one another. Ever."

While not as prestigious as the annual competition for the Larry O'Brien Trophy, the inaugural In-Season Tournament (IST) finale was dubbed as a "dream finale". It featured a showdown between LeBron's Lakers and an underdog Pacers team, led by emerging star Tyrese Haliburton. The Cinderella Pacers had already triumphed over formidable opponents like the Cavaliers, 76ers, Celtics, and Bucks in the tournament, making their journey to the championship game remarkable. The matchup was a clash not just of basketball skills but also of ages, market sizes, and playing styles.

LeBron has played Goliath to a number of Davids in his day, and Indiana’s 123.5 offensive rating is its slingshot, However, even with the collective efforts of Davids, victory eludes them when they shoot at a mere 24 percent on 3-pointers. An unfortunate off-shooting night, compounded by a resilient Lakers defense, spelled doom for the underdog Pacers. Notably, the Pacers failed to secure a lead after the initial 90 seconds of game time. The Lakers managed to limit Indiana to a dismal 80 points per 100 half-court plays, according to Cleaning the Glass—marking the Pacers' lowest half-court output in any game this season and a noteworthy 10 points below their previous.

Indiana managed to find opportunities for transition play at times, but this was far from sufficient to offset the humbling experience in the half-court setting. Throughout all possessions before garbage time, the Pacers' offensive rating stood at a mere 101.9, as per CtG. This marked only their fifth game with an offensive rating below 117 (or, it would be if the IST final's stats were included), and predictably, they are 0-5 in those particular contests.

Haliburton concluded the evening with a commendable 20 points and 11 assists. However, an assertive trapping strategy implemented by Lakers coach Darvin Ham effectively limited the point guard's ball control, hindering the Pacers' offense from establishing a consistent rhythm.

Conversely, during Saturday's game, the Lakers dominated the Pacers with their size and relentless aggression on the offensive end, showcasing a game plan that pushed the limits of what is achievable in the modern NBA.

Of the Lakers' 123 points in this particular game, a staggering 86 were scored in the paint, marking the highest tally for any team in a game this season. Additionally, another 27 points were secured at the free-throw line. When you crunch the numbers, only 10 points remain—merely 10 points that the Lakers managed to score outside the paint throughout the entire game. Remarkably, they secured a comfortable victory in the year 2023!

When the Lakers were in possession of the ball, the clash unfolded as an encounter between an irresistible force and an entity not only capable of being displaced but also content with such movement. The consequence was chaos around the rim, evident in the Lakers outrebounding Indiana 55 to 32. Notably, Davis, Austin Reaves, and LeBron—the top three scorers in the game from both teams—collaborated for a total of 93 points, despite registering only one shot outside the paint throughout the entire night: a midrange jumper executed by Reaves.

The concluding game marked LeBron's least impressive performance of the week, following his exceptional displays against the Suns and Pelicans in the earlier IST knockout rounds. Facing Indiana, he required 21 shot attempts to achieve 24 points and recorded more turnovers (six) and fouls (five) than assists (four). Despite these statistics, he remained unstoppable in transition and made significant defensive contributions, intercepting two passes from the typically turnover-free Haliburton early in the first quarter.

Recognizing LeBron's outstanding performance throughout the tournament, he rightfully earned the title of the inaugural in-season tournament MVP. As LeBron continues to defy age at 38, the league may face the decision of naming one of its expanding array of individual honors after him, should he ever retire (although the phrase "if he ever retires" might be more fitting given his enduring prowess). Perhaps, if the IST continues to gain prominence, this accolade could evolve into the LeBron James Netflix/Amazon/Apple In-Season Tournament MVP Trophy.

As James persists in challenging the boundaries of a player's capabilities in his 21st season—demonstrated by his impressive performance of 24 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals in the clincher—it hasn't hindered Davis' growth.

If anything, James has made every effort to support Davis, referring to the 30-year-old as the  "face of the franchise" 

Davis mentioned that this trend continued in Las Vegas, with James and the Lakers consistently involving him from the start. In the first quarter, he managed a 6-for-10 record, marking only the second instance this season where he took 10 or more shots in a quarter. The team continued to prioritize getting him the ball throughout the entire game.

"He'll say things like, 'Let's get AD going.' Or, 'Run this for AD,'" Davis said. "He's doing a good job of making sure that I get my touches to have an opportunity to take over ballgames like tonight. So, he's been in my corner through the ups and downs and the indifferent. He's always been a guy who I can count on, who I can lean on for advice, or he just knows.

"He just knows me. ... I just had that look tonight and he said, 'I'm going to follow your lead.' And he was able to, and the team was able to allow me be the guy and just feed off of it."

The Lakers secured their 12th victory in the last 16 games, propelling them to the fifth position in the Western Conference standings.

The Lakers were vocal about their determination to win the tournament for reasons beyond the competition. The $500,000 cash prize for each player on the winning team held significant importance for James, who acknowledged it as an opportunity vastly different from his challenging upbringing in Akron, Ohio.

James and Davis added another achievement to their list, having previously joined forces to secure a championship in 2020 during their inaugural season together. Now, they've clinched the inaugural in-season tournament crown as well.

Davis acknowledged that despite enhancing his résumé, he remains aware that he won't be immune to future criticism. Regardless of his actions, he seems to draw scrutiny consistently.

James' unwavering confidence and his team's persistent belief in him have contributed to the development of his resilience.

"The 'I-don't-give-a-f---ness?' Yes. I have," Davis shared with ESPN when questioned about his perspective. "And I don't [care]. As long as my team is winning and I'm with my guys in the locker room, that's all I care about. Anybody else's opinions don't matter to me. I genuinely mean that. I don't care."

Stick with https://k8airdrop.com/ for more Sports, esport, games, news, guides, and more!

Discover the thrill of cutting-edge online slot games! Visit  http://k8.io/ now for an unparalleled gaming experience with the latest and greatest slot games.