NEW ORLEANS —
Your eyes would tell you quickly.
The Lakers, at their very best this season, have gotten the kind of all-around dominance from LeBron James that made him the best player in the league — a surefire ticket to the end when winning mattered most.
But with 39 years on his bones and 21 seasons worth of mileage on his legs, James has had to pick his spots. On the nights when James has been able to play with his foot on the gas on both sides of the ball, the Lakers have been as hard to beat as anyone.