NBA Lakers

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are set to reach the playoffs and could go on a deep run, which is a far cry from the state of the franchise before ...

[Minnesota Timberwolves](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/minnesota-timberwolves) send D’Angelo Russell to Los Angeles while Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley joined James in a move that sent Russell Westbrook to Utah before the former MVP was bought out. [Cleveland Cavaliers](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/cleveland-cavaliers), doing so in the 2008 and 2010 playoffs. The trade broke up the core of Cleveland’s 2016 NBA championship win, and James joined the Los Angeles Lakers a year later. Alongside Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, James then beat Celtics five straight times in the Play-Offs, including twice in Eastern Conference Finals elimination games at the TD Garden in Boston. [the Lakers](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/american-sports/lebron-james-lakers-nba-title-29617665) just prior to February’s trade deadline that has breathed new life into James and co.’s season - and the purple-and-gold could make a deep [Play-Off](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/american-sports/whos-in-nba-play-offs-29465001) run. [they start the final week of the regular season](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/american-sports/lakers-mavericks-chase-nba-playoff-29612183) just percentage points out of fifth place after adding depth and three-point shooting to the roster. However the two have been rivals for some time as their paths intertwined over the last 15 years. The Celtics team perhaps led James to join the [Miami Heat](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/miami-heat) in free agency - and the rivalry deepened from there. [Kyrie Irving](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/kyrie-irving), who was the Cavaliers’ second star behind the four-time MVP, in 2017. [Donald Trump](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/donald-trump) on a Boston radio show. [Boston Celtics](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/boston-celtics) player and current [Utah Jazz](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/utah-jazz) CEO of basketball operations, never faced one another on the court and are over two decades apart in age. [NBA](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/nba) Trade Deadline - and the credit for their upturn in fortunes could well be placed at the door of LeBron James’ enemy Danny Ainge.