The Lakers always attract a large crowd when they come east to play basketball. The tradition and championships of the storied franchise have earned them generations of fans. But it has been a while since they created a buzz.
Barclays Center was packed Tuesday night in Brooklyn, and there was plenty of media and various celebrities, including Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and actor Sterling K. Brown, to witness LeBron James’ first appearance here in a Lakers uniform.
It wasn’t quite like the Heat days when he teamed with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to form a Big Three that would make four trips to the NBA Finals and win two titles, but his decision to leave Cleveland and sign with Los Angeles has made the Lakers relevant again.