LOS ANGELES — LeBron James doubled over in exhaustion. Anthony Davis twisted around in pain. Darvin Ham stared blankly in disbelief.
It shouldn't have been this hard. It shouldn't have been this taxing. This should have been a two-foot putt. This should have been a gimme.
The Lakers' play-in game Tuesday night against the decimated and distracted Minnesota Timberwolves should have been a bold first step into a bright postseason.