Life in the NBA moves fast. Only last week, Lakers players were facing severe criticism after losing to the Warriors. On Sunday, the script was flipped, with th

What caught fans most off guard wasn’t the loss itself, but the uncharacteristically quiet night from Stephen Curry, who finished with just three points in 33 minutes. The performance marked a steep drop-off after Curry had rattled off three straight 30-point outings, including a 52-point performance against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Times columnist Bill Plaschke, like many once a critic of the Lakers drafting LeBron James' oldest son, looks back on his rookie year as an ingenious move.