RAMON ALVARADO

The defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers were in Los Angeles over the weekend to face the two LA squads. The Cavaliers lost Saturday night, March 18, to the Los Angeles Clippers and nearly loss again to the Lakers last night. The Lakers had a 10-point lead heading in to the final period of play but were unable to close the game out at the Staples Center. The Cavaliers defeated the Lakers 125-120.

Second-year point guard D’Angelo Russell of the Lakers may have had his best game of the year Sunday night against the Cavaliers. For three quarters, at least. Russell had 37 points through the first three periods of play. This helped the Lakers hold a 10-point lead at the start of the fourth.

The defending champions started to play with a sense of urgency in the fourth quarter, however. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving of the Cavaliers propelled their team to 43 fourth quarter points. They outscored the Lakers by 15-points in the final quarter.

It was tough for fans of the Lakers to see their team lose a game they should have won, but if nothing else, the game gave off signs of hope. Los Angeles played their young core of players through the toughest stretches of the game and gave the Cavaliers a challenge.

A five-point loss to the Cavaliers isn’t bad for this young and rising Lakers squad. If this group of players continue to progress under first-year head coach Luke Walton, the sky may definitely be the limit for the Los Angeles Lakers in the years to come.