How LeBron's LEADERSHIP GUIDES Lakers in PLAYOFFS Despite Luka, Reaves INJURIES

The Lakers may be up 1-0 in their series against the Houston Rockets, but the odds are still stacked against them. Houston is favored in Tuesday's Game 2 even while it's still not guaranteed that Kevin Durant is going to play. And if he does? Houston is an even bigger favorite. But the Lakers do have an early advantage, and part of that is due to the leadership provided by, and the history of, LeBron James. If you had to pick a guy to be the sort of "last star standing" to shepherd a team through this type of adversity against these type of odds, LeBron would be at, or near, the top of that list. There's experience and gravitas, as well as the ability to deliver high end performance. And importantly, the Lakers have figured out how, with this group, to put LeBron in the best positions to help lead them and play at the highest potential possible. Can that sustain itself in Game 2? And meanwhile, how does the (expected) return of Durant impact the matchups and strategy for Ga...