Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Los Angeles Times

    The Big Fail: Inside the Lakers’ most disappointing season in franchise history

    LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers weren’t a sure thing; they were, though, the surest thing for bettors. At the SuperBook inside the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino just off the Strip, more tickets were printed predicting the Lakers would be champions than for anyone else, the betting public cementing their status as favorites by picking them ahead of the Phoenix Suns, Golden State ...
    by Dan Woike and Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times Apr 09, 2022 13 minutes
    Los Angeles Lakers players, including, from left, LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, sit with teammates on the bench late in the game against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena Sunday, April 3, 2022.

    LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers weren’t a sure thing; they were, though, the surest thing for bettors.

    At the SuperBook inside the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino just off the Strip, more tickets were printed predicting the Lakers would be champions than for anyone else, the betting public cementing their status as favorites by picking them ahead of the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets.

    Money handed over to the SuperBook wagering on the Lakers to win the title accounted for nearly a quarter — 22% — of every dollar bet on 2022 title futures. From the moment the Lakers built this team until they were eliminated from postseason contention, no team had more money riding on them.

    How could they not be favorites? It was a casual gambler’s dream — LeBron James, Anthony Davis and a buffet of familiar names.

    Two seasons before, the Lakers were champions. The season after that, they looked like favorites again until injuries sidelined their hopes. In an aggressive response to that, the Lakers cashed in the few remaining assets they had in the offseason.

    They dealt for former MVP Russell Westbrook. They signed future Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard as well as possible Hall of Famer Rajon Rondo, who along with Howard helped them win it all in 2020.

    Needing perimeter shooters, they signed Wayne Ellington and Malik Monk. Needing two-way production, they brought back Kent Bazemore and Trevor Ariza. Wanting tenacity, they signed Kendrick Nunn. And needing more size, they brought former All-Star DeAndre Jordan back to Los Angeles.

    Their coach, the Ted Lasso-ish Frank Vogel, had already proved he could navigate the Lakers through drama while constructing one of the NBA’s best defenses.

    You didn’t need to know NBA rosters to know who was on the Lakers — it was the embodiment of All-NBA and All-Star teams from the league’s last decade.

    In a city that loves its stars, the Lakers roster was a purple-and-gold constellation.

    Yet like the images that flicker in the night sky, what everyone was seeing wasn’t live — they were tape-delayed projections from the past.

    A wasted

    You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

    More from Los Angeles Times

    Los Angeles Times7 min read
    She Told TikTok She Was Lonely In LA. What Happened Next Changed Her Life
    LOS ANGELES — In the sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles, home to nearly 4 million people, making friends is no easy feat. Especially if you're an adult. Research shows that people over 21 are more likely to face extra hurdles in forming friendships.
    Los Angeles Times6 min readPoverty & Homelessness
    Should Property Owners Get A Tax Rebate Because Of The Homeless Crisis? Arizona Voters Will Decide
    PHOENIX — From their modest apartment buildings alongside a block-long strip of gravel and scrub grass, the residents can see the tents and tarps and empty Mountain Dew bottles, hear the late-night fights and occasional gunshots, and smell the string
    Los Angeles Times4 min read
    LZ Granderson: Here's One Way To Bring College Costs Back In Line With Reality
    It took me by surprise when my son initially floated the idea of not going to college. His mother and I attended undergrad together. He was an infant on campus when I was in grad school. She went on to earn a PhD. "What do you mean by 'not go to coll

    Related Books & Audiobooks