LeBron James

The Los Angeles Lakers are back and thriving in the postseason, a return to prominence guaranteed to invoke memories of the Showtime Era. To that effect, put the ball in LeBron James’ hands in transition, flank him with capable teammates and let him put on a show. James’ underhanded no-look dish to Rui Hachimura in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals brought the home crowd to its feet. The 19-time All-Star and four-time champion shot 10 of 14 for a team-high 30 points while also mixing in nine rebounds, nine assists and two steals as James and company eliminated the Golden State Warriors in six games with a 122-101 win on May 12, 2023. It was James’ first 30-point playoff performance since the 2020 NBA Finals, and he and the Lakers will look to extend their postseason run when they take on the top-seeded Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.