For the past eight seasons, no one has been able to solve the Golden State Warriors’ perplexing puzzle. Until now.

The four-time NBA champions were finally dethroned as the Los Angeles Lakers eliminated the Warriors in six games in the 2023 Western Conference semifinals. The Lakers became the first Western Conference team to beat the Warriors in a playoff series since Steve Kerr was hired in 2014. The size and length of the Lakers were simply too much for the small-ball Warriors, and the catalyst for the NBA’s top-rated defense was Anthony Davis.

The Lakers’ versatile center was nothing short of sensational against the defending NBA champs. Davis was able to roam freely because the Warriors don’t have a big man who requires AD’s constant attention. The Lakers’ suffocating defense forced the Warriors to play inside the 3-point line and limited their shot attempts by securing defensive rebounds.

First-year coach Darvin Ham brought to L.A. many of the defensive principles he learned from his time with the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks. But the scheme only works if it has a defensive stud patrolling every inch of the hardwood.

Davis is the chess piece Ham frequently uses to check every opponent’s best move.

“The Lakers have a great defense,” said Golden State coach Steve Kerr, whose team was held to 10 points below their season average. “Davis at the rim was a huge obstacle. Not only a shot blocker but a guy who takes up a lot of space and cuts down a lot of passing lanes.”

The Warriors struggled from the field in the close-out game, shooting just 37.9% from the field and making just 13 of 48 3-pointers. Davis attempted only nine shots in Game 6 and finished with 17 points, but his imprint was all over the court. He pulled down 20 rebounds, had two blocks and two steals. His presence was felt throughout the series.

“To me the series came down to games 1 and 4,” Kerr said. “The Lakers outplayed us in key stretches in both games. That’s really the difference. The better team won.”

If one sequence summarized Golden State’s struggles against Davis and the Lakers, look no further than the final frantic minute of Game 4 in L.A. With the Warriors down by a point at 102-101 with 36 seconds left in Game 4, Steph was isolated against AD at the top of the circle with 36 seconds on the game clock. It was only fitting the game would come down to the game’s best shooter against the best defensive center in basketball. You couldn’t have scripted it any better.

Curry was ready to seize the moment, like has for the better part of the decade as the ring leader of the Warriors, but Davis was more than up to the task.

Curry starts the play with a few crossover dribbles. Davis pokes the ball to disrupt Steph’s rhythm and the Warriors guard was forced to retrieve the loose ball and restart the play. Curry then drove left, but AD cuts him off. Curry resets and tries to drive to his right. AD cuts him off again, and forces Curry to take a difficult one-legged, step-back jumper contested by the 7-foot-6 wingspan of Davis. The shot rattled off the rim.

“I pride myself on defense,” David told Spectrum SportsNet reporter Mike Trudell.

“They wanted, obviously, the switch with me and I took that personally,” he continued. “I know what he gets to like his stepback 3 and I just wanted to move my puppies. As my man, coach would say, I just wanted to move them puppies and keep him in front and make him take a tough shot and that’s what I did.

“He’s a helluva player, there’s no shot that he can’t make. He takes all the tough shots and he makes them. I just wanted to make it tough on him and make him shoot over a contested hand and pray that he missed, cuz he’ll make those. And he missed, got it back, and I just wanted to defend again and make him miss again and we ended up getting the rebound. Big time defense from me, but big time rebounding from our guys.”

The Warriors would get another opportunity with 26 seconds left after Draymond Green secures the offensive rebound. He fires the ball back to Steph, who gets another shot at shaking Davis. This time, Curry settles for a 30-foot 3-pointer that he had to put extra arc because of Davis’ length. The shot fell short, bouncing off the front of the rim. Lonnie Walker IV, who had a huge fourth quarter for the Lakers coming off the bench, grabs the rebound and gets fouled. Walker made both free throws, setting up for the final Davis defensive stand.

Down 104-101 and needing a 3-pointer, Golden State coach Steve Kerr called for the “hammer play” to free up a 3-pointer shooter in the corner. The play was a staple of the San Antonio Spurs offense during the Tim Duncan era, and it’s a play the Warriors have run many times. Unfortunately for Kerr and the Warriors, AD and LeBron James were familiar with the play as well. As soon as AD realized what the play was, he peeled off his man and jumped Klay Thompson’s corner route and intercepted Draymond Green’s pass.

Even though the Warriors would get another short possession after Curry grabbed a loose ball off a jump ball, but inexplicably threw the ball away with a time-out left in his pocket, the Lakers grabbed full control of the series thanks to their superstar center wearing No. 3.

“That’s a big part of the series for sure. Davis is dominant,” Kerr said about the Lakers’ big man.

Davis has been an absolute monster on defense during the 2023 playoffs. He leads all players in the postseason in every major statistical category on defense. He’s No. 1 in blocks (3.3) and rebounds (14.1), and has contested the most 2-point shots through the first two rounds of the postseason. He is also the only center who ranks in the top five on deflections.

AD’s disruptive hands are a big reason why the Lakers own the best defensive rating since the All-Star break. The addition of forwards Jarred Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura have afforded L.A. more athleticism and size up front to go with Davis’ unique ability to guard one through five.

Despite his defensive credentials, Davis remains an easy target for critics. He still doesn’t get the respect he richly deserves from the media and pundits.

When the NBA announced its All-Defensive Teams, there was one glaring omission. Where’s Anthony Davis?

The first team was comprised of Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez, Chicago’s Alex Caruso, and Milwaukee’s Jrue Holiday. All of them were bounced from the playoffs either in the first round or in the play-in tournament. Jackson Jr., the 2023 NBA defensive player of the year, was matched up with AD in the first round and it was a landslide. Davis was the more superior defender and far more impactful than Triple J.

LeBron let the world know who he thinks in the NBA’s best defender. “He’s the best defensive player in the league,” LeBron told TNT’s Chris Haynes.

“I think the league knows it,” LeBron said. “There aren’t many guys who can protect the rim at all costs and switch out on point guards like Steph [Curry]. We trust AD guarding anybody in the league.”

LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo are ready for NBA restart. (Getty Images)

Basketball is back. It may not be the usual games we’ve been accustomed to, but it’ll have to do.

The NBA and its partners have created a unique bubble plan, setting up shop at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.,where 22 teams will be participating in an AAU-type environment. The bubble plan has daily COVID-19 testing and strict policies about entering and reentering the Orlando bubble. When players arrived in the sprawling campus at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex, they quickly found out nothing will be normal about this restart.

Yahoo Sports writer Chris Haynes gave an insider’s perspective on life in the NBA bubble. Teams have designated hotels and food is brought to players’ rooms. There is a “snitch line” that makes sure everyone is following COVID-19 protocol. Even Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading expert on infectious diseases, was impressed with the $170 million program. It is the most comprehensive plan from all the major sports leagues dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. If this bubble plan bursts, we might as well cancel the rest of sports for 2020. If it works, you’ll see other leagues implement a similar program. It’s a copycat league.

There was some unfair chatter of a possible asterisk next to the team that wins the 2020 NBA championship. Yeah, there will be an asterisk. But it’ll say this: * Won championship despite going through the most difficult road of any NBA team in history. No home court advantage. No crowds. Giant video monitors serving as backdrops. Practices held inside a ballroom. Plenty of social distancing. And oh by the way, if a player is infected with the coronavirus, they’ll need to be quarantined.

The coronavirus pandemic halted the NBA season for five months. That’s equivalent to an entire offseason. There will be rust. There will be fitness issues (remember Shawn Kemp after the 1999 strike). There will be upsets. There will be missteps. This is a season unlike any other. Buckle up, folks. It’s going to be crazier than Mr. Toad’s wild ride.

The favorites: L.A. Lakers, L.A. Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks

The Lakers, Clippers and Bucks were head and shoulders above the rest of the competition when the sports world shut down on March 11. Fast forward to July following a four-month layoff due to the coronavirus pandemic and the three teams favored to win the NBA title are … drum roll, please … Lakers, Clippers and Bucks. So, basically nothing changed.

The Lakers were probably the team that was most affected by the COVID-19 shutdown as they were coming off huge wins against the Clippers and Bucks days before commissioner Adam Silver hit pause on the 2020 season. The lethal combination of LeBron James and Anthony Davis make the Lakers a difficult matchup for anyone. Offensively, the Lakers have the NBA’s most efficient offense. LeBron has been the Lakers catalyst even at the advanced basketball age of 35. But LeBron is no ordinary baller. In year 17 as a pro, LeBron averages 25 points per game and leads the league in assists (10.6). His offensive game was rounding into playoff form in March. The Lakers did take a hit defensively with the loss of lockdown perimeter defender Avery Bradley, who decided not to participate in the bubble plan. The loss of Bradley leaves a huge void in the backcourt as head coach Frank Vogel will be forced to shuffle his backcourt rotation and may have to give minutes to Dion Waiters and J.R. Smith. Waiters was cast aside by the Miami Heat while J.R. hasn’t played in a meaningful NBA game since 2018.

The team most equipped to handle the Lakers in a playoff series is the Clippers. Reigning Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard wants nothing more than to ruin the Lakers party, become the undisputed king of L.A. and validate his position as the best player in the world. The Clippers have the deepest roster among the 22 teams in the restart. The only question mark(s) is on-court chemistry. Paul George is still rounding into shape coming off surgery to both shoulders while Kawhi remains under load management protocol. PG and Kawhi don’t have lot of court time together, but when both were in action the Clippers were 24-8. The Clippers owned the third-best offensive rating and fifth-best defensive rating. They also have the best bench in the league (51.5 points per game), led by super subs Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, who could start for many clubs. L.A. also added guard Reggie Jackson and forward Marcus Morris, giving coach Doc Rivers a plethora of options. LouWill and Trez will miss the opening week of the restart, but both are expected to rejoin their teammates when the seeding portion of the schedule concludes. The Clippers are a confident bunch and they’re not worried where they end up in the standings.

The Bucks likely benefitted from the long layoff as they were in a bit of a funk (6-4 in their last 10 games) after the All-Star break. All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo sustained a left leg injury during the loss against the Lakers in March and appeared a little fatigued. Milwaukee’s title hopes rest on the broad shoulders of Giannis, who is having an MVP season (29.5 points per game, 13.9 rebounds, shooting 55 percent from the field). He’ll need to be at his absolute best because his supporting cast isn’t good enough to carry him. Good news is The Greek Freak appears to be healthy again. Giannis needs to be special if the Bucks are going to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974 when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the face of the franchise.

Contenders: Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics

There is a major logjam of teams in the discussion. Even though these teams are all capable of making a deep playoff run, they have some weaknesses that could be exposed and eventually derail their championship hopes.

Houston is going all-in on small ball, putting Robert Covington (6-8) and P.J. Tucker (6-5) in the frontcourt with guards Eric Gordon, Russell Westbrook and James Harden in the backcourt. Coach Mike D’Antoni could either look like a genius or he could lose his job. He will lean on his two superstars, Harden and Westbrook, to generate most of the offense. That’s a heavy burden even for a dynamic duo averaging a combined 61 points a game (No. 1 in the league). If one of them has an off night it could be lights out for the Rockets. As an added distraction, you have the Westbrook COVID-19 positive test. Houston, that’s a problem.

Speaking of COVID-19, Nuggets All-Star center Nikola Jokic is also coming off a positive virus test. The good news is Jokic has recovered and looks in fantastic shape, stunningly slim. The Serbian big man was listed at 280 pounds at the start of the season and he appears to have shed at least 25 pounds. Jokic is the linchpin to everything the Nuggets do. The Nuggets will go only as far as Jokic can carry them.

Did anyone say COVID-19? If there’s such a tag as Team COVID, it’s the Utah Jazz. Center Rudy Gobert was one of the first faces of the coronavirus pandemic as his positive test triggered the league-wide shutdown. Guard Donovan Mitchell also tested positive for the virus, and there was a period during isolation when Gobert and Mitchell were at odds. Mitchell reportedly was upset about Gobert’s careless behavior about the coronavirus. Both appear to have squashed their reported beef. But one issue Gobert and Mitchell won’t be able to fix is the absence of Bojan Bogdanovic. The veteran sharpshooter had wrist surgery and won’t be playing in the bubble. Bogdanovic was averaging 20.2 points per game and 41 percent from 3-point range before shutting it down.

If there was team that needed a reset it would be Philly. The Sixers greatly underachieved during the season and almost seemed disinterested. All-Star center Joel Embiid appeared out of shape prior to the pandemic and fellow All-Star Ben Simmons kept teasing us with his new jump shot but kept disappointing us, too. When they are both clicking, Embiid and Simmons pose a lethal 1-2 punch talented enough to save coach Brett Brown’s job. The reboot could turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

The Celtics have a budding star in Jayson Tatum, and he could finally have his breakout moment. The one negative for the Celtics is their lack of size. Tatum is the Celtics’ tallest starter at 6-8 and all their rotational players with the exception of Enes Kanter are 6-8 or shorter. Celtics are severely undersized against their two biggest obstacles: Philly and Milwaukee.

Sleepers: Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder

What do the Mavericks, Raptors and Heat have in common? They all have coaches with championship pedigree. The restart will be a sprint, and teams with steady leaders should thrive.

Rick Carlisle, who led the Mavericks to an NBA title in 2011, is one of the game’s best in-game strategists and he has a wonderful chess piece to play with in rising superstar Luka Doncic. The Mavs offense revolves around Doncic. The 2019 Rookie of the Year now has a full two years of NBA experience to process in his super high basketball IQ, and his arrow is pointing way up. In his second year in the Association, Doncic nearly averaged a triple-double (28-9-8). Looks like Luka is ready to make the jump into elite status.

It’s a bit odd to call a defending NBA champ a playoff sleeper, but Nick Nurse and the Raptors have gotten almost zero respect following their stunning win in the 2019 NBA Finals over the Golden State Warriors. When Kawhi left for L.A., almost all the basketball pundits left the Raptors for dead. Guess what? The Raptors are still ticking. Paschal Siakam has emerged as a bonafide No. 1 option. Kyle Lowry and Marc Gasol have logged a lot of miles, but they are crafty veterans who know how to turn it on in the postseason. Don’t sleep on the team from The North.

Erik Spoelstra hasn’t had much to work with since LeBron left town and Dwyane Wade’s skills started to fade. This year, Spo has a boatload of talent. With Jimmy Butler leading the way, third-year player Bam Adebayo emerging as the secondary star, role players Kendrick Nunn, Duncan Robinson and rookie Tyler Herro all gaining confidence by the day, Miami has a young, hungry squad looking to put some serious heat inside the Orlando bubble.

Billy Donovan may not have a NBA championship ring, but he does own two college basketball championship plaques when he led the Florida Gators to back-to-back NCAA tournament titles in 2006-07. With the departures of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Paul George, Donovan can freely coach the Thunder without having to worry about hurting a superstar’s ego. And he has a veteran leader in point guard Chris Paul to help him guide a young and energetic squad that will be a tough out.

Kawhi Leonard drives to the basket against Anthony Davis. (Getty Images)

The biggest winner during the NBA offseason was the city of Los Angeles.

Staples Center will be the center of the basketball universe as we enter the 2019-20 NBA regular season because two of the best teams in the league will play 82 times in Downtown Los Angeles.

The pride of Riverside, Calif., Kawhi Leonard chose the glitz and glamour of Hollywood over the cold winters in Toronto (duh!) and he brought another Southern California native, Palmdale’s Paul George, with him. Leonard and George now form a formidable 1-2 punch as members of the L.A. Clippers. Add pitbull guard Patrick Beverley and super subs Lou Williams and Montrez Harrell in the mix and you have a team that is favored to capture the NBA title.

This could be the year the Clippers will finally be able to put up a real banner at Staples Center instead of those giant selfies that hung during the Lob City era.

“Everybody being high character. Sacrifice. Wanting to win. Determination. Knowledge. All that together. Just being on the floor, going out there as one unit. All trying to accomplish that ultimate goal. That’s what drives a championship team,” Leonard said.

LeBron James has been awfully quiet all offseason — outside of a few Taco Tuesday posts on social media. LeBron is so accustomed to playing through June that this was the first offseason where he had a full five months off in more than a decade. And all this waiting has King James extremely anxious.

“I’m very motivated. Right now I’m not in a talking-about-it mode. I’ve been very quiet this summer for a reason,” LeBron said. “My mother always taught me don’t talk about it be about it. That’s where I’m at. As a team and myself, we need to get the Lakers back to where they’ve been accustomed to.”

LeBron appears rested and ready to go, and he now has a super sidekick in All-Star forward Anthony Davis.

The LeBron-AD combo became a reality after the Lakers traded away one-third of their roster. But the Lakers brass feel it was a necessary move because now they feel like they have their best 1-2 punch since Shaq and Kobe.

OneManFastBreak predicts the eight teams that’ll make the playoffs in the Western Conference:

1-L.A. Clippers (58-24) – The Clippers would be a lot higher if it wasn’t for Paul George’s offseason surgery on both his shoulders. The timetable PG’s return is around November. Also, the Clippers are planning to implement the same load management approach the Toronto coaching staff did with Kawhi. It won’t matter much if Kawhi or PG take a few games off. These Clippers are the deepest team in the league. Center Montrezl Harrell brings effort and energy every single night, and combo guard Lou Williams is arguably the best closer in the game. Doc Rivers’ crew will be there in April, May and potentially June.

2-Denver Nuggets (56-26) – Nikola Jokic is now universally recognized as the best center in the NBA. The big man from Serbia is redefining the center position with his ability to score, rebound and pass. Jokic is the anchor of a Nuggets squad that is deep and talented. Point guard Jamal Murray gained some much needed playoff experience last year and ready to become the team’s closer. If Michael Porter Jr., 21, ever gets out of the training room and onto the court, the Nuggets could be battling for the top spot in the West for the next few years.

3-L.A. Lakers (54-28) – The Lakers have five championship-caliber players on the roster: LeBron, AD, Danny Green, Avery Bradley and Kyle Kuzma. To win a title, you need at least seven to eight solid guys in the rotation. For now, the Lakers don’t have that. Rajon Rondo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Dwight Howard are extremely limited, and so is JaVale McGee. You can’t trust them in a seven-game series. As long as Davis and LeBron are healthy, the Lakers have a formidable squad. But if one or both miss time, the Lakers are back to being a lottery team. Bringing back Rondo was a mistake. It hinders the progress of Alex Caruso and Quinn Cook.

4-Houston Rockets (53-29) – It is now or never for coach Mike D’Antoni. D’Antoni has his best roster since his Phoenix Suns days, and some could argue it could be better. James Harden is at the height of his powers and there are no signs of him slowing down. In fact, he seems to be getting better and better. The acquisition of Russell Westbrook was panned by critics. Not sure why. Westbrook is a former MVP who is hungry for a title. He and Harden are good friends off the court, and they played together in Oklahoma City. Great players figure out a way to co-exist on the court. Harden and Westbrook will figure out a way to make it work in Houston.

5-Portland Trail Blazers (50-32) – If you still don’t think Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum are two of the best guards in the league then you should pull up YouTube videos from the 2019 playoffs. Lillard sent the Thunder home with a dagger 3-pointer from Beaverton, while McCollum was at times the best player on the court during the Blazers-Nuggets series that was an instant classic. The loss of center Jusuf Nurkic was masked with the addition of Hassan Whiteside. If Whiteside can provide rebounds and defense, Lillard and McCollum will take care of the rest.

6-Utah Jazz (49-33) – Donovan Mitchell has been teasing us for the past couple of years with his star potential. It’s time for Mitchell to finally make that big leap and become the true alpha dog. Mitchell has a better supporting cast this season with the acquisition of point guard Mike Conley and sharp-shooting forward Bojan Bogdanovic (the taller Bogdanovic).

7-San Antonio Spurs (48-34) – The Spurs have made the playoffs for 22 straight seasons under Gregg Popovich, and that streak will continue this season. Popovich may have pulled off his best coaching job last year. Pop integrated DeMar DeRozan into the Spurs system and had him play the Manu Ginobili role. LaMarcus Aldridge is doing his best fulfilling the Tim Duncan role. Now, Pop’s next challenge is to develop a point guard to play the Tony Parker role. He’s got a couple of willing students in Derrick White and Dejonte Murray.

8-Golden State Warriors (46-36) – It’s strange seeing the Warriors this low in the postseason seedings, but that’s the harsh reality brought about by the departure of Kevin Durant, the injury to Klay Thompson, the loss of Andre Iguodala and the retirement of Shaun Livingston. The biggest challenge for coach Steve Kerr and his coaching staff will be managing the minutes for Steph Curry and Draymond Green. Will Kerr burn out Curry and Green just to earn a seventh or eighth seed? That’s a tough call for a proud franchise.

Last teams out: Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies

Lonzo Ball returned to action after missing six weeks with a knee injury. (AP)

Lonzo Ball is the most polarizing athlete in the NBA. LeBron James and Steph Curry have their share of haters, but they don’t have a reality TV star father who picks fights with the president of the United States.

From the moment the 6-foot-6 Ball entered the NBA, he’s had a big target on his back. Everyone tried to test him. Patrick Beverley picked him up fullcourt on opening night. Jamal Murray tried to embarrass him. And the Lakers and Magic Johnson didn’t do the Chino Hills, Calif., product any favors by publicly making him the face of arguably the most storied franchise in the league. Because of the hype surrounding him, Ball’s game has been dissected and scrutinized like no other rookie.

They made fun of his unorthodox windup on his jump shot. Twitter nearly exploded when he cut his hair. He was ruthlessly bashed by pundits on TV and wannabe pundits on social media when he was shooting less than 30 percent from the field earlier in the season.

Fox Sports’ Rob Parker has already called him a bust. Parker has been making that declaration for months and reiterated it on FS1’s “Undisputed,” even going as far as suggesting the Lakers should trade Lonzo because his father is becoming too much of a distraction.

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith said he is “petrified” that Lonzo is a bust, and points to Ball’s lack of aggression as his biggest road block.

But despite all the noise around him, Ball has been able to quietly put together an outstanding rookie season. If the season ended today, Ball would finish the season with 10.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in 38 games. He would become only the fourth rookie in NBA history to accomplish that stat line. The other four are fellow rookie Ben Simmons, Magic Johnson, and Oscar Robertson. It’s probably safe to say those guys are not busts.

Back in November, Ball made history by becoming the youngest NBA player (20 years, 15 days) to record a triple-double. He posted 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists against the Milwaukee Bucks. The previous youngest player to post a triple-double was LeBron James. It’s probably safe to say LeBron is not a bust.

Here’s the bottom line on Lonzo. Don’t judge him by what you hear, judge him by what you see.

What we’ve seen in Ball’s last 10 games is a player whose arrow keeps pointing up. He’s averaging 11.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.6 assists. He’s making 42 percent of his field goals and 36 percent of his 3-point shots.

No one seems to be talking about his sidewinder shot now.

He’s also averaging 1.9 steals per game, which would put him sixth overall in the entire league. His defense has been a pleasant surprise because several scouts thought he would struggle on the defensive end.

We shouldn’t knock Lonzo because he’s different. Everything about him is not the norm these days. His shot is a little off. He’s a bit distant and guarded. He’s not the classic AAU product. We should embrace all his uniqueness.

It’s already well documented and heavily dissected that Lonzo’s shot is a work in progress. That’s a given. But instead of focusing on the left side of the box score, we should start looking at the right side of the box score. Lonzo fills up the stat sheet. He’s a true point guard. He’s not a shooting guard masking as a point guard like Curry, Russell Westbrook, or James Harden. He’s a throwback to when point guards initiate the offense and not hijack the offense.

After missing the last six weeks because of a sprained knee, Ball returned to action and his shot looks even better. He was perfect against the Atlanta Hawks on Feb. 26, making all four his field goals, all three of his 3-point shots, and both of his free throws.

The Lakers are on a roll of late. At 26-34, they’ve already surpassed last season’s win total and are poised to make a run at the final playoff spot if things break their way in these last 22 games. The Lakers are eighth in scoring and among the leaders in pace. If you put the blame on Lonzo for the Lakers’ early season woes, you have to give him credit for creating a style of play that is fun to watch. The ball hops around and usually finds the open guy. When Ball plays pick-and-roll, he makes the right decision 90 percent of the time.

When ESPN writer Ramona Shelburne asked Magic if he has any regrets drafting Lonzo Ball, he said “no, not for one minute.”

“He’s everything we thought he would be and more,” Magic said.

Shaquille O’Neal’s No. 34 jersey was retired by the Lakers. (GETTY IMAGES)

Shaquille O’Neal officially announced his retirement on June 1, 2011, and it took the Los Angeles Lakers just two years to honor The Diesel by raising his No. 34 jersey in the rafters at Staples Center on April 2, 2013. In classic Shaq fashion, he gave Lakers fans one thundering messaged: “Can you dig it!”

In a video post on Tout.com in 2011, Shaq said: “We did it. 19 years baby. I want to thank you very much. That’s why I’m telling you first. I’m about to retire. Love you. Talk to you soon.”

Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass, in 2016. The Diesel headlined the 10-member class that included Philadelphia 76ers great Allen Iverson, Chinese superstar Yao Ming, WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes, longtime Michigan State coach Tom Izzo and NBA executive Jerry Reinsdorf.

O’Neal, a four-time NBA champion and three-time Finals MVP, was one of the NBA’s most popular stars for what he did both on and off the court. Shaq was the most dominant big man of his era, and arguably one of the 10 best centers of all time. To honor the man with more nicknames than Apollo Creed, and arguably one of the five greatest centers in basketball, here are his 19 greatest moments for each of his 19 seasons. His glorious and colorful career brought many great highlights in Orlando, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix, Cleveland, and Boston. He won four NBA championships, three NBA Finals MVPs, one regular season MVP and countless outlandish one-liners. A look at his most memorable moments:

19) One of Shaq’s best attributes was his quick wit. He got a kick out of giving everyone nicknames, from teammates to opponents. He gave Paul Pierce the nickname “The Truth”; he was responsible for Dwyane Wade’s “Flash” moniker; and he tagged Tim Duncan “The Big Fundamental.” He also gave Kobe Bryant a nickname, but unfortunately we can’t publish it.

18) As a rookie in 1992-93, O’Neal brought the house down – literally – in Phoenix when he pulled down the entire basket stanchion on a follow-up dunk against Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns. It was Shaq’s coming-out-party since the game was on national TV and the NBA was dying to showcase a young bright star in case Michael Jordan retires and decides to play baseball. In the same season, the legend of Shaq grew even bigger when he shattered a backboard in New Jersey with the force of his dunk, and the shot clock clipped him on the head.

17) Shaq won the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1992-93 season, helping turn the Magic into one of the biggest draws in the league. With Shaq front and center, Orlando went from a 21-win team to a 41-win team.

16) Who could forget Neon Boudeaux? OK, his performance in “Blue Chips” probably wasn’t Oscar-worthy but it pretty much summarized Shaq’s basketball career. It lacked substance at times, there were some bright moments, but overall it was extremely entertaining. “Kazaam!” and “Steel” on the other hand, were simply atrocious. Sorry, Shaq.

15) The Magic won the lottery again in 1994, trading the pick for guard Penny Hardaway. Shaq and Penny formed one of the best tandems in the league and, even though their union was short-lived, it brought the Magic to new heights, winning 50 games in 1993-94 and reaching the NBA Finals in 1995.

14) The best part about those Lakers championships during the Shaq-Kobe era was the postseason celebration. Nobody can get a crowd going better than The Big Entertainer. His rendition of “It Takes Two” in 2001 before 250,000 Laker fans gathered in front of Staples Center was easily the best championship parade in the history of parades. To cap things off, Lakers forward Mark Madsen did his little dance routine (or whatever he was doing) that left everyone in a frenzy.

13) Much has been written and said on how Hakeem Olajuwon “destroyed” Shaq in the ’95 Finals. Statistically speaking, The Diesel averaged 28 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists and 2.5 blocks, while Olajuwon averaged 32 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks in the Rockets’ four-game sweep. Sounds like a stalemate in terms of the one-on-one matchup. Just to show there were no hard feelings between the two big men, Shaq and Hakeem shot a Taco Bell commercial in the offseason. Watching the two of them ride a tandem bike was hilarious.

12) The highlight of the 2009 All-Star game in Phoenix was The Big Cactus taking the stage and performing a dance routine with “America’s Best Dance Crew” Jabbawockeez during the pre-game festivities.

11) As a member of Team USA’s dominant 1995 World Championship team in Toronto (also known as Dream Team II), O’Neal was named MVP of the tournament despite not playing heavy minutes. He also starred on the United States Olympic basketball team that won the gold medal in the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta.

10) On March 6, 2000, Shaq celebrated his birthday with a bang! Prior to the game against the Clippers, Shaq was upset the Clippers (the home team for that night at Staples) didn’t provide him with enough tickets. He unleashed his anger on the Clippers by dropping 61 points.

9) Before LeBron James’ much-publicized “Decision” in 2010, there was “Shaq Goes to Hollywood” free-agent saga in the summer of ’96. Thanks to the bright mind of L.A. Lakers general manager Jerry West, the balance of power in the league shifted from the East Coast to the West Coast when O’Neal signed a record-setting $120-million contract to move to L.A., and then the Lakers traded for 18-year-old high school phenom Kobe Bryant on draft night. It was the beginning of the Shaq-Kobe dynasty.

8) Game 7 in Sacramento in 2002 will go down in history as one of the best playoff games in NBA history. The Lakers and Kings played an epic overtime game at Arco Arena, with the Laker prevailing and advancing to the NBA Finals. But after the game, Shaq topped his on-court performance with an off-the-court, impromptu rap dedicated to Vladic Divac. Watch and listen:

7) After being traded to the Miami Heat in summer of 2004, Shaq promised Miami fans that he’ll bring a championship to South Beach. Two years later, that promised was fulfilled as O’Neal and D-Wade led the Heat, coached by the great Pat Riley, past Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks in the 2006 NBA Finals.

6) Shaq was named one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players of all time in 1997 despite having played in only five seasons. The recognition was debated by some basketball experts, but basketball writer Peter Vecsey defended the selection, arguing that O’Neal belongs in the conversation and was already well on his way to becoming one of the dominant players the league has ever seen. As usual, Vecsey was right.

5) The Diesel was extra motivated to play the 76ers in the 2001 NBA Finals because he was going up against Defensive Player of the Year Dikembe Mutombo, who likes to throw his signature finger-wag each time he stuffs his opponent. Shaq never dunked the ball harder in his life during the 2001 Finals, and dropped a few devastating elbows toward Mt. Mutombo’s chest and face. There was one play in which Shaq lifted Mutombo off his feet and exploded for a one-hand slam, showing his awesome power and agility. The Lakers rolled to their second consecutive NBA title, losing only one game in the playoffs. O’Neal captured his second Finals MVP trophy. He averaged 33 points, 16 rebounds and 3.4 blocks against a Sixer squad led by 2001 MVP Allen Iverson.

4) A young 260-pound Shaq exploded onto the basketball scene when he rocked the 1989 McDonald’s High School All-American game with one ferocious coast-to-coast slam dunk. It certainly got a huge rise out of ESPN’s Dick Vitale, who said during the telecast: “Oh! Oh! Oh! I can’t believe! I can’t believe it! That’s a 7-footer!” That play launched a two-decade basketball career is certainly worthy of a spot in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. O’Neal went on to star at LSU for three years before being drafted No. 1 overall by the Orlando Magic in 1992. He finished his NBA career with 28,596 points and shot 58% from the field, both marks are in the top five.

3) Shaq loved the whole Superman persona, and he finally fulfilled his kryptonian side when he pieced together one of the most dominant seasons in NBA history in 1999-2000 when he was named regular season MVP (near unanimous choice), All-Star Game MVP and NBA Finals MVP in leading the Lakers to their first NBA title since 1988. In the Lakers’ six-game series win over the Pacers in The Finals, O’Neal posted some jaw-dropping numbers: 45 minutes per game, 38 points, 16.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks. During his acceptance speech for winning the regular season MVP, Shaq told the media that he would like to be referred to as The Big Aristotle.

2) The Lakers needed a fantastic finish to cap their stunning comeback in Game 7 of 2000 Western Conference finals against the Portland Trail Blazers and Kobe and Shaq provided that moment. Kobe dribbled to the top of the arc, crossed over Scottie Pippen, and drove to the hoop. Kobe floated a perfect lob pass that only O’Neal and his massive 7-foot-1 frame can reach. The alley-oop dunk punctuated the Lakers’ furious rally and ignited a run of three consecutive NBA championships.

1) Shaquille O’Neal showcased his talent as an entertainer and proved that he’s more than just a basketball talent when he appeared in a music video with the rap group Fu-Schnickens in the early 1990s. It was not only the birth of Shaq Fu, but it was also the beginning of a successful career that went above and beyond the game of basketball. It was a glimpse of what was to come for the next two decades. He was the first professional athlete to cross over to the rap game and be accepted as a true hip-hop artist and not just a novelty act. Shaq appeared with Fu-Schnickens on “The Arsenio Hall Show” in 1992, and from that point on he never stopped being an entertainer. O’Neal released four albums, including “Shaq Diesel” which went platinum. Shaquille’s popularity extends outside of sports. He is a successful entrepreneur, music and film star, and his larger-than-life personality that can lift up an entire planet. He is a true global icon.

Click here to read the best quotes from Shaquille O’Neal

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter at: twitter.com/onemanfastbreak.

Kobe Bryant played his last NBA game on April 13, 2016. It was the conclusion of a 20-year career — all with the Los Angeles Lakers — that included five championships, two Finals MVPs, two Olympic gold medals, 18 All-Star Game appearances, and one 81-point game.

The Black Mamba may have said goodbye to basketball, but he will always live in our consciousness. He’s certainly part of my family forever.

Yahoo Sports did a piece on the more than 14,o00 boys who were named after Kobe since he came into the Association in 1996 as an 18-year-old phenom out of Lower Marion High School (Pa.). Those namesakes are as much a part of Bryant’s legacy as his accomplishments on the basketball court.

I’m one of those parents who gave Kobe the highest compliment by naming my youngest son after him.

Miles Bryant Huerto was born days after Kobe tied Michael Jordan’s record of nine consecutive games with 40 points or more in the month of February in 2003. For me, it was an easy choice when my wife and I were compiling a list of names for our newborn. Our eldest, Jorel, was named after Superman’s father. I knew my wife wouldn’t go for another superhero name like Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark, so I had to be a little creative. That’s when I brought up Kobe’s last name as the middle name for our Miles.

Miles is now 13 years old. Of course, he plays basketball. He also plays football, soccer and runs track. But basketball is his favorite sport. He is the point guard on his middle school team. His game definitely has a little Kobe flavor. He’s also a product of the Steph Curry generation in which the 3-point shot is the weapon of choice instead of the kiss-the-rim dunk or the fadeaway, pull-up jumper from the foul line that made Kobe and Jordan great.

Miles may not have Kobe’s height but he did get some of the Black Mamba’s traits. My son is an intense competitor who rarely backs down from a challenge. He is fearless when he drives to the basket, and is not afraid of contact. And he loves taking the last shot.

Miles already has a game-winning shot at the buzzer to his resume. He did it against YMCA competition two years ago, and I have the YouTube video to prove it.

He had an opportunity for another game-winner earlier this year when his La Crescenta Holy Redeemer squad visited Los Angeles Divine Saviour in a CYO game.

I had a front-row seat to that game as the Holy Redeemer coach.

Miles was Kobe-esque. He scored 34 of his team’s 48 points and brought his team back from a 14-point deficit in the second half. Miles tied the game at 48 with two clutch free throws with under a minute remaining. Divine Saviour took a 50-48 lead when some kid threw up a prayer from near the top of the circle and swished it. I called timeout with 3 seconds left. I drew up a play to get the ball to Miles so he could have a chance at a halfcourt heave. The kids executed it to near perfection. Miles got the ball in the backcourt on the run while dribbling to his right. When he got to about the midcourt line he launched a running one-hander that looked good from my vantage point. The ball hit the top of the backboard and bounced over. Game over. We lost by two points.

Moments after the game I looked at Miles and he looked dejected. He didn’t care too much that he scored 34 points. He lost sight of the fact that he almost single-handedly brought us to that point. It didn’t matter that he just played an insane ballgame. He missed the shot that could have won the game. Winning was all that mattered to him. That’s my “Kobe Bryant.”

There are a lot of athletes that I admire. But I only have one favorite athlete. My son. Miles Bryant Huerto.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Ohio State guard D’Angelo Russell is now a Laker. (GETTY IMAGES)

This year’s draft was supposed to be the rebirth of the Los Angeles Lakers brand. After Minnesota took Karl-Anthony Towns the Lakers were poised to land arguably the best center in the draft in Duke center Jahlil Okafor. It was a marriage made in basketball heaven, right? The Lakers and a dominant center. You couldn’t have scripted it any better.

But somewhere along the evaluation and interview process the Lakers’ top brass, which included team president Jim Buss, general manager Mitch Kupchak and head coach Byron Scott, felt Okafor didn’t fit the plan.

So, instead of taking the 6-11, 270-pound big man who some were calling “the next Tim Duncan,” the Lakers decided to use their No. 2 overall pick on Ohio State guard D’Angelo Russell.

It was the draft day tremor that shook up the NBA. It seemed like everyone thought the Lakers were going to take Okafor. Well, everyone except the Lakers.

Kupchak has hinted for weeks that the Lakers were looking for a player who fits the new point-guard-driven style, and someone who can play multiple positions. Obviously Kupchak and the Lakers were glued to their TV screens during the playoffs, watching Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors driving, dishing and shooting their way to an NBA title.

The Warriors’ small ball style made such an impression on the Lakers that it made them re-evaluate a time-tested formula that you build your team inside-out and draft a center. L.A. ignored its championship history with big men — from Mikan to Wilt to Kareem to Shaq — and chose a guard with average foot speed and an inconsistent jumper.

Russell is a good player with some physical gifts. He’s a big point guard who can play off the ball and makes some nice passes. But he is also an average athlete who struggles against elite defenders. The one game that stuck out was his matchup against Arizona in the NCAA tournament. Russell was bottled up by T.J. McConnell and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and went 3-for-19 from the field.

Despite some glaring weaknesses the Lakers are convinced Russell is the man to lead the franchise into the post-Kobe Bryant era. In fact, Scott believes “D’Angelo has a chance to be a superstar.”

“Talent-wise, he might be the best player in the draft,” Scott said of the 6-5 guard who turned 19 in February.

Scott said he was impressed by Russell’s second workout, where he displayed qualities such as leadership, shooting and passing.

“The decision that was made was to basically take the best player available,” Scott said. “We really felt this kid was special.”

It would have been different if Jerry West was the one evaluating the draft for the Lakers. But were are taking about Kupchak and Buss, and you can include Scott in the mix. None of them have West’s uncanny ability to scout talent.

Since West left the organization in 2002, the Lakers haven’t exactly hit the lottery with their draft picks. Remember Toney Douglas, Devin Ebanks and Javaris Crittendon? Those are names that’ll make any Lakers fan cringe.

Time will tell if the Lakers bungled the 2015 draft. Russell could turn out to be a solid NBA pro and enjoy a long career. But one thing he’ll never be is dominant. Great centers come around once every 10 years. You can find a really good point guard just about every year in the draft.

Go big or go home, right? That’s the NBA slogan. Apparently the Lakers missed that message.

Eric Bledsoe brought athleticism and energy to the Phoenix Suns. (GETTY IMAGES)

The Los Angeles Lakers are suffering through one of their worst seasons in franchise history with their rash of injuries for the second straight season. The Lakers have been limited to 17 games between Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash combined, not to mention Pau Gasol, Xavier Henry, Jordan Farmar (has been hurt three times), and Steve Blake have all missed significant games due to injury.

They gave Bryant a heavily criticized $48.5 million extension, preventing them from bringing in two maximum salary free agents.

So, where do they go from here? I may have some answers.

The Lakers will get a top 5 draft pick most likely.

There are a lot of talented players available in this draft that they could select and bring in. Andrew Wiggins, Joel Embiid, Jabari Parker, Julius Randle and Dante Exum are all projected as the top-five players in this draft.

Parker has said he may stay at Duke. The incentive is there since the Blue Devils got bounced early in the NCAA tournament and they have a great player in high school All-American Jahil Okafor enrolling this fall.

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Wiggins, one of the best prospects to come out of Canada, is likely to be the No. 1 overall pick. The Lakers will need to secure more ping pong balls from new commissioner Adam Silver to make sure they get the first pick.

Embiid is a raw project who reminds me of Michael Olowokandi, and his back injury may give teams caution when taking him too high.

They wouldn’t need a player like Exum if Bledsoe is acquired, unless they want to bring Exum as a possible replacement for Bryant in a few seasons. He has drawn comparisons to Michael Carter-Williams, except he has a better jump shot. Exum says he wants to play with Bryant (he and Kobe share the same agent in Rob Pelinka).

Exum could replace Bryant at shooting guard when he retires. When he played at the 2013 Nike Hoop Summit with Germany’s Dennis Schroder (rookie with the Atlanta Hawks) he played off the ball and was able to get to the rim off the dribble. He wow’ed NBA scouts, reinforcing that he was an impressive player to keep their eye on.

Anthony Bennett’s lackluster season may give teams a second thought in taking Randle. Randle is another tweener forward may cost a general manager his job if he doesn’t pan out.

Sign Eric Bledsoe to the poison pill contract that has been rumored.

Earlier this year, ESPN reporter Chris Broussard said the Lakers may be interested in overpaying Bledsoe (a restricted free agent) so that the Suns don’t want to match it and head in another direction. They have two point guards playing in the backcourt together and don’t seem like they will be able to keep both, the Suns have multiple selections in the upcoming NBA draft. If the Lakers offer Bledsoe $14-15 million per season that may be too much for Phoenix to match.

Bledsoe has had a breakout season with the Phoenix Suns (17.2 points per game, 5.7 assists per game, 4.5 rebounds per game) after being traded from the Los Angeles Clippers. Bledsoe is just 24 years old and has the dynamic personality and talent to replace Kobe once he retires in a few seasons. Bledsoe would be able to carry the torch for the Lakers as their next superstar to build a team around.

Sign Spencer Hawes to a 3-4 year deal worth $8-9 million per season.

Hawes is an underrated center who has always reminded me of Brad Miller, I like him a lot. He’ll be a seven year veteran but he’ll be just 26 when next season starts. He can score (13-14 points), rebound (8-9 rebounds), pass (3-4 assists) and he can shoot the 3-pointer (40% this season and 35% for his career). He isn’t a great defender but he’s a solid big man who could help replace Pau Gasol if he walks as a free agent, like he’s expected to. Hawes would give them a versatile big man who can step out and hit the outside shot, poor Mike D’Antoni would love to have him this season but D’Antoni will be gone by the time Hawes shows up in Los Angeles.

Sign Drew Gooden.

Gooden has only played in 11 games this season for the Washington Wizards but he’s still just 32 years old. Bring him in the veteran minimum of 1.8 million and he’s capable of putting up 10ppg and seven rebounds. He’s not going to play much defense but he can give the Lakers a serviceable PF, provided he stays healthy. If he can’t stay healthy, Kelly gets more on the job training as the stretch four (4?).

Use the stretch provision on Steve Nash.

If Nash doesn’t retire — and he has said he’s sticking around to collect the paycheck — the Lakers could use the stretch provision on him and his contract counts just $3 million towards the salary cap (instead of $9 million). Nash has shown he’s unable to stay healthy and they have a need to save as much money as possible with a lot of free agents this summer. Nash makes too much to keep as a backup to Bledsoe and they have to fill out a roster.

Re-sign some of the young players who have shown some promise this season.

Nick Young is most assuredly gone since he has had a good season (16.8 points and instant offense off the bench) and has a player option for $1.2 million. I’d be shocked if Young exercises that after having a solid enough season where he should be able to command $3-5 million as a sixth man off the bench for a good team.

Re-sign Xavier Henry. Henry showed some flashes this season but has played in just 40 games due to injury. They should be able to bring back Henry on a two-year deal worth $3 million, he made $884,000 this season. And the Lakers gave him a chance to save and revive his career.

Re-sign Wesley Johnson. Johnson was one of the few players who gave 100% effort on the defensive side of the ball. When he signed him, Mitch Kupchak said he could turn into a Michael Cooper-type defensive player, while that is a stretch Johnson has been a consistent defender all season. Sign him to a two-year deal worth $3 million also.

Re-sign restricted free agents Kent Bazemore and Ryan Kelly. Bazemore showed he could play after the trade from Golden State, averaging 13.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists. He can be re-signed relatively cheaply, say $1-1.2 million or so, a slight raise from this seasons $788,872 salary. Have him come off the bench as Young’s scoring replacement.

Kelly has averaged just under 10 points since January 1st and has shown the capability of being a shooter off the bench. He has also shown he is a better rebounder than expected coming out of Duke. He had 24 points and 11 rebounds in a 134-126 loss to the Denver Nuggets on March 7. He had a career-high 26 points in a loss against the Philadelphia 76ers in February.

Fire Mike D’Antoni and hire Byron Scott.

First, let’s get this out of the way. Is this season D’Antoni’s fault? No.

They have been snake-bitten by injuries like I mentioned earlier. But life isn’t always fair as any coach knows and Byron Scott is just biding his time, waiting for the job in the Time Warner Cable SportsNet studio. Any incoming coach has to signed off by the Mamba. Scott returned to Los Angeles in 1996-97 (after playing for the Pacers and Grizzlies) and mentored Bryant when he was a rookie. They got along well and Bryant has a lot of respect for Scott.

He would most likely bring Michael Cooper as an assistant and he’d help give the Lakers some defensive focus, something they desperately need.

Here’s the Lakers’ potential lineup next season:

PG-Bledsoe
SG-Kobe
SF-Henry/Johnson
PF-Gooden
C-Hawes

Bench

Exum, Henry/Johnson, Kelly, Kendall Marshall, Robert Sacre, Bazemore, second round pick.

Is this a playoff team? Probably not. But, it’s a team that could be in the mix and competitive, which is all you can ask from a team that has to manage the salary cap. It also leaves them some flexibility in a few seasons when Kevin Love hits the free-agent market and Kobe retires.

Darren Jacks is a regular contributor to OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @djroxalot.

Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade share a laugh after the Heat-Lakers game on Christmas Day at Staples Center. (GETTY IMAGES)

Wins and losses are all that matter in the NBA. However, on Christmas Day, the Los Angeles Lakers managed to give the defending champion Miami Heat a battle before ultimately losing, 101-95, at Staples Center.

“The last two games we were just getting murdered, getting killed,” Nick Young told the L.A. Times. “To come back and fight like that today is a step forward, I think, for us.”

L.A. was playing without their franchise player in Kobe Bryant, who was out with a fractured bone in his left knee. Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade each scored 23 points to lead the Heat.

“Those guys are the best the league has to offer,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni told The Times. “You see some plays that you just don’t normally see. LeBron’s so strong and Wade, they come at you. It’s impressive.”

With the game tied at 81, Norris Cole scored seven points during an 11-2 run to give the Heat a 92-83 lead with a little over five minutes to play.

Young led the Lakers with 20 points (7-for-20 shooting) and continued his stellar play, replacing Bryant’s scoring production. He’s averaging 18.3 points per games the last 14 games.

Jodie Meeks scored 17 points, Xavier Henry pumped in 14 points, Pau Gasol scored 13 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

Jordan Farmar returned from an injured left hamstring to give L.A. a true point guard to run the offense after Steve Nash and Steve Blake all sustained injuries. However, Farmar wasn’t in game shape. He managed just three points and two assists in 32 minutes.

Darren Jacks is a regular contributor to OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @djroxalot.

You know you pulled off something amazing when Earvin “Magic” Johnson called it one of the greatest plays he has ever seen.

Miami Heat stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have been serving up spectacular alley-oop dunks since they joined forces in 2010, but their latest collaboration had an extra twist to it. LeBron’s off-the-glass rim shaker on Christmas Day against the L.A. Lakers had Staples Center buzzing and the sports world shaking its head.

Check out Magic’s tweet:

Even though his dominant hand is his left, LeBron prefers to throw it down with his right hand. When Wade’s pass off the glass sailed a little bit to the left, LeBron had to adjust in midair and jammed it home with his non-shooting hand. James was up so high he had to duck his head to avoid the rim. On the way back up the court, cameras caught James smiling and admiring his handy work. Even the Staples Center crowd took time off from their steady stream of selfies and Instagrams to give LeBron some oohs and aahs.

ABC commentator Jeff Gundy was just as entertained as the rest of us, saying “We should stop the game and let everyone watch the replay. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Watch and marvel at the work of Wade and LeBron on what may be the best dunk of the season. If anything, it’s a candidate for dunk of the year: