With LeBron, the stars are finally aligned on an intense rivalry between Warriors and Lakers

OAKLAND – Entourage Warriors in recent years, they will share Las Vegas with the Lakers, who now have LeBron James, which is nothing less than a full circle.

This could be fun, even more so once they return to California to participate in important games.

When the teams meet for a pre-season game on Wednesday night at the T-Mobile Arena, this marks the unofficial start of a natural rivalry delayed by decades, as the Warriors were not up to being a rival". The history of the warriors-lakers is profoundly one-sided; for the 35-year period from 1977 to 2013, the Warriors were 45-123, losing 32 times the series of the regular season – including eight scans of four to six games.

That changed five years ago with an NBA version of "Trading Places", with the Warriors reaching the top of the franchise as the Lakers collapsed stronger than ever before. The Warriors since 2012-13 are 16-4 against LA, 13-3 under coach Steve Kerr.

Enter LeBron.

"It's probably the first time that he's aligned," Kerr said on Tuesday, recalling the 1987 playoff game in which Sleepy Floyd had scored an NBA record with 29 points in a quarter.

"For Warriors fans, it's probably the biggest moment of the Laker-Warrior rivalry, but I'm sure the Lakers have never seen it as a rivalry all those years they dominated." "

That's why these next seasons are so fascinating for fans of both teams. Each fan base thinks that their team has the means to beat the other. This is the direct result of James signing by the Lakers, who has opposed the Warriors in each of the last four finals of the NBA as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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The teams are not exactly equal, but the presence of James raises both the profile of the Warriors-Lakers and the intensity of the four games they will play this season.

"The times we've seen it, it has always been at the top of the East or in the final, so those matches are still intense," said Klay Thompson. "I'm expecting it to dramatically improve the Lakers – they have a bunch of guys who have proven themselves now."

The Warriors fans have not had any more fun hating the recent Lakers teams than the fans of the big Lakers teams had despised. . . wait, there has never been contempt. This energy went to the Celtics and 76ers and Spurs and, very briefly, to the Kings. The warriors were out of place.

As irrelevant as the Lakers have been since the future Hall of Fame member Kobe Bryant has aged, is injured and retired.

But the seeds of hatred have always been there, because of geography. The teams exist at 50 minutes of flight. It's five hours drive, six with traffic.

"It could be music, movies or a destination," said Thompson, who grew up in Southern California, a crazy Lakers town. "There is always a NorCal-SoCal debate, which is what makes it so great."

There is a reason for the Lakers to make their first visit to Oracle Arena on Christmas Day, at prime time for the east coast. The same reason forced the planners to send the Warriors to face the Lakers on the day of Martin Luther King Jr., the other striking date of the league.

Still, a pen shot of James did not make the Lakers a legitimate contender at the championship. They added an excellent scorer to Michael Beasley, a fabulous game maker to Rajon Rondo, a vertical presence to JaVale McGee and a human Alka-Seltzer to Lance Stephenson.

However, none of these players can dramatically improve a mediocre defense, let alone the percentage of shots on goal in the league, ranked 29th in 29th place.

"We both have to prove we are good," said Draymond Green, downplaying the importance of early season games. "We have not proved we are good this year, they have not proved that they are good either."

It does not happen often. He should this season. The Warriors are the favorites to win their third consecutive title. The Lakers should make the playoffs for the first time since 2013 – because they have LeBron.

It's enough to spark debate and have fans waving their respective flags. The geographic component adds flavor, but the level of competition has reached peaks worthy of a real rivalry.

Warriors-Lakers is not here yet. But it's coming. Thank the gods of basketball and the beauty of the free agency that is coming.

"It will be fun," said Kerr. "We are in the same division and both teams are very talented, the atmosphere is going to be great, even in pre-season, and people will be really excited to see that."