For the first 43 minutes of LeBron James’ home debut as a Laker, Staples Center was more alive and expectant than it has been in years.
Finally, after the Lakers spent years selling hope and their glorious history and transformational potential of their draft picks, they've given their fans something real, something proven, in James. He rose to the occasion Saturday night, and he lifted his teammates with him.
James dunked. He rebounded. He brought excitement that had been missing here for too long and he kept the Lakers within striking distance of the Houston Rockets, an elite team in the West.