The Los Angeles Lakers have celebrated their undefeated run to the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament championship by hanging a modest black banner at their downtown venue.
The Lakers presented the black-and-gold banner on Monday night prior to their game against the Knicks, snuggled next to the team’s 17 NBA championship banners. After capturing the tournament title in Las Vegas on December 9, Los Angeles suffered its third defeat in four games as it fell to New York 114-109.
The Lakers’ supporters applauded graciously as they halted their pregame warmups for a quick tribute video and an NBA Cup celebration. Before the banner was unfurled to further applause, no one spoke to the assembly.
In the defeat, LeBron James recorded his 109th career triple-double. “I think it was awesome,” he remarked. “It seems pretty cool to recognize accomplishments along the way in a marathon,” the author said. That is the initial one. That’s its inauguration, so those of our fans who were unable to join us in Vegas now have the chance to virtually join us in celebrating this special milestone. This is something that will undoubtedly endure forever.”
Nine days after defeating Indiana to win the championship, the Lakers purposely kept their celebrations low-key. The distinguished team is renowned for not hanging banners honoring division or conference winners, and it has only retired the Hall of Fame players’ jersey numbers.
However, the Lakers ultimately came to the conclusion that the tournament triumph merits praise in addition to the $500,000 given to each player. In the competition, Los Angeles won 7-0, and James gave incredible performances all along the road.
The five horizontal banners that honor the Minneapolis Lakers’ championships prior to their West Coast relocation are situated close to the new vertical In-Season Tournament banner. The arena’s north wall is still dominated by the twelve golden, horizontal title banners that were won in Los Angeles.
Regarding the new banner, Anthony Davis stated, “I think it’s a cool thing.” “(The competition) must now take place continuously. Three or four years cannot pass and then it’s over, because at that point it would be like, “Okay, so you have a banner for what?” I believe it’s cool if it’s something that would last for years to come, and if other teams win, I believe other teams would follow suit.”
Since the tournament final, the Lakers have gone 1-3, and the Pacers have gone 1-4. But Davis disagreed with the idea of having a hangover after a competition.
Davis remarked, “We’re not losing by 20.” “We play in every match. We’re playing hard, fighting, and contending. It’s not what they name it, I believe? When you start the next season, is it the little championship high you’re on? The hangover from the championship? It’s not one of those, I believe.”