While the Los Angeles Lakers added the game’s best player in LeBron James and completed that by signing multiple veterans to add to a talented young core, there nevertheless was an expectation the group would need time to adjust and gel.
That process began during the summer with pickup games at the Lakers’ practice facility and has carried into the early stages of the season. After a slow start that included tough losses to playoff opponents, the Lakers have won three in a row and five of their last six.
The improved stretch of play has still come with lapses and inconsistent stretches.