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The Los Angeles Lakers opened up the 2021-22 NBA season as favorites to potentially win it all in the west after trading for Russell Westbrook and adding some other key pieces from teams past. However, the new-look Lake Show might have to talk some things out behind closed doors after big men Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard got into it on the bench.
The Lakers are just two seasons out of winning the NBA championship and any team with LeBron James is a shoo-in to be a contender for the title. However, the young NBA season has proven already that what looks good on paper might not be good in reality. It should also be noted that the Lakers’ bench is a bit depleted as Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn, Wayne Ellington, and Trevor Ariza are all nursing various injuries so the team isn’t at full strength.
During Friday night’s (October 22) contest between last season’s Western Conference champs in the Phoenix Suns, the Lakers never looked in sync and King James’ usual heroics would not be enough. Westbrook also had a bit of an off night as the Suns dominated much of the game and it was never close. During a timeout, Davis and Howard began scuffling and had to be separated by their teammates. In fairness, the men claimed that there’s no beef and it was just a little competitive frustration being worked out on the court.
While AD and Howard might be good to go, Rajon Rondo, thought to be one of the glue players of the team, made a questionable finger gun gesture at a fan sitting courtside. The fan slapped his hand out his face and was ejected from the arena. It isn’t known what was said by the fan that prompted Rondo to make the gesture, but it certainly has NBA Twitter talking.
The season is still just starting although few thought the Lakers would begin their quest for the title winless after all the hype and big names added. Check out the reactions from Twitter below.
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