The Los Angeles Lakers secured first place in the West by defeating the Utah Jazz 108-116. Anthony Davis , the man who came to give this momentum, led the win with 42 points and the decisive basket in the last minute. In the Disney World 'bubble' there will be no field factor but it is not a question of advantage, but of status, another way of marking territory as favorites to the title. The last two times they were first in the West, they ended up winning the ring with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol (2009 and 2010).

Streaks are relative. In its first 65 years of history, the Lakers had only missed the playoffs five times. For them, the drought of six consecutive years that dragged was an institutional crisis. Hence the surprise resignation of Magic Johnson minutes before the last game of last year. Or the persecution of Anthony Davis (on the verge of regulation) or Kawhi Leonard . Also because, like LeBron James, it was never worth it to get into the playoffs. They must feel aspiring.

Since closing the signing of Davis, LeBron has wanted to give him gallons . "If we don't spin the attack around him, there is no point in having him on the track," he said before the season began. The Lakers' attack continues to pass through the hands of James - he will close the season as the league's top assistant, with more than 10 per game - but it ends in the hands of 'La Ceja': against Utah they were 42 points, 23 in the first part.

The presence of Davis (the team's leader in points, rebounds, steals and blocks, and candidate for Defender of the Year) allows the Lakers to regulate LeBron , who has come back from the break with short steps: in the first three games in Orlando, he averages 19.3 points with bad shooting percentages and 4.3 losses. And with West's top spot in his pocket, he has yet another five games to sharpen his knife for the playoffs.

Michael Porter Jr.'s Big Night

The other star of the night was Michael Porter Jr . The Denver Nuggets forward , who made headlines a few days ago for his conspiracy theories about the pandemic, completed the best performance of his career to command his team's win in overtime against the OKC Thunder : 37 points (12/16 in shots) and 12 rebounds.

In the East, the Toronto Raptors of Marc Gasol (6 points, 6 rebounds) and Serge Ibaka (15 and 6) beat Miami (103-107) and have almost secured second place and a placid first-round date against Orlando o Brooklyn. Despite the departure of Kawhi Leonard , they remain one of the most competitive teams in the NBA.

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