LOS ANGELES — If the Lakers' season-opening game against Minnesota on Tuesday night was a sign of things to come, Rob Pelinka might not have to pay his cell phone bill for the next few months.

Pause trade talks. Forget that LeBron James and Anthony Davis were secretly clamoring for a roster upgrade as recently as June of last year. Tell Austin Reaves — and D'Angelo Russell, for that matter — to stop worrying about being dealt and start planning a long and enjoyable march toward the organization's 18th championship.

Of course, the Lakers' 110-103 win was just one game, meaning no one should concern themselves with such big implications unless their tongue is firmly in their cheek (yes, to be clear, that's the one here). Case). As Pelinka revealed in preseason, he plans to draw meaningful conclusions about this group after the first 30 or so games. Winning against a Timberwolves team that was playing for the first time with Julius Randle (and without Karl-Anthony Towns), along with Donte DiVincenzo, doesn't change that measured approach. But what the Lakers certainly have to celebrate, and what could define their season if it continues, is that Davis looked like the kind of franchise centerpiece they've long believed him to be.

While the focus in this Lakers era is on the 39-year-old James — and this particular week, his 19-year-old son Bronny — the 31-year-old Davis is the one the Lakers care about most. uncertain future. He's the superstar in his prime, under contract to a massive contract through the 2027-28 season (up to $70.1 million). He's the one, along with James, whose perspective is considered by the owners and front office when the big decisions are made (including, as I've discussed before, the decision to part ways with Darvin Ham and hire first). Annual coach JJ Redick). And he seemed capable of carrying that heavy load in the opening game when he went after four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.

The statistics spoke for themselves: 36 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and one steal. According to Stathead.com, it was only the second time in Davis' career (797 total games; regular season and playoffs) that he reached these special numbers. Even if you just boil it down to points and rebounds, he had only made a mistake like that 29 times before (3.6 percent of the time).

It was high volume (11 of 23 shots) in a way we don't often see from Davis, as he only reached that 23-shot mark seven times in the entire 2023-24 season.

That was a real eye-catcher at the highest level.

But after all these weeks of Redick talking about his plans to run much of his offense through Davis, empowering him more than ever in the process, seeing it in this dominant form was a special thing. They have the plan now and the question is whether they can repeat it regularly over the next six (or more) months.

“Yeah, I mean, playing my way to the elbows, the post, the top of the key, I think that's what we envisioned, just making plays from (those spots) and kind of directing the offense.” said Davis. “And the same on defense too. Obviously it will grow and we will incorporate more things into it. But I think it's a good first step to see how (Redick) wants me to play and how he wants me to be that focal point in a way and orchestrate the offense.”

As a scout said after the game, Davis looks leaner and faster this time. His play sparked comparisons to the Pelicans-era version of AD or the Lakers' 2020 run in the bubble when he helped them win the title.

Maybe the muscle mass he'd been focusing on building over the last few years had slowed him down. Or perhaps, as he later recounted in the locker room, the experience of winning gold with Team USA in France gave him motivation and momentum for this season. It's probably a little bit of both.

“This is a holdover from the Olympics,” said Davis, who was one of the best players in the United States throughout. “The body is fine. I think that was just the main part – playing (at) a high level, with high intensity with great competition, alongside some great players who made me better, learning from them and being ready to work with confidence Going to camp I put in the whole summer and just translated it into regular season games.”

Redick summed it up well: “AD was phenomenal tonight.”

The Gobert factor – and the debate

Judging by the tenor of Davis' preseason comments, when he spent part of media day complaining about the lack of respect he received for winning the league's Defensive Player of the Year award, it's safe to say Gobert's presence gave the Lakers' big man extra drive. Add in the fact that Gobert had made headlines shortly before the announcement when news broke that he had secured a three-year, $110 million contract extension with the Timberwolves, and there was plenty of bulletin board material, that Davis could chew on.

As Gobert left the Crypto.com Arena for the evening, I wanted to get his opinion on the idea that this particular matchup may have been personal to Davis. The Timberwolves' 32-year-old big man knows he's one of them, if not one of them The – the most controversial players in the game today.

What's more, he knows that his stint on the bench at the Olympics for the French team over the summer (culminating in his 12-minute stint against Team USA in the gold medal game) was like red meat to his many skeptics. But in this modern NBA realm, where Gobert's ability to transform defenses at Utah and Minnesota has become the undeniable foundation of his legacy, his resume in that regard remains unmatched.

No matter how badly Davis would have beaten him and her in the opening game.

“It’s not something I earned in one game,” Gobert said The athlete about his reputation. “That happens over the course of the season. Consistency is boring. I think that’s one of the reasons why it’s difficult for some people to understand what I do.”

To be fair to Gobert, he praised Davis when discussing this topic. He called him a “great player.” He called him a “great defender.” But the premise that this comparison entails, the implication that a less famous player in a small market receives undeserved acclaim over high-profile stars like Davis playing in large markets, baffles him.

“People love to discredit these awards,” he continued. “But you have to ask yourself, 'Is Rudy Gobert, who played for the Utah Jazz and the Timberwolves, really that exciting?' Are voters really excited to vote for me, or are they just people who watch basketball from morning to night… and are really trying to vote based on impact? If it was based on excitement, I don’t think I would have DPOYs.”

Plus, Gobert has more pressing concerns to focus on right now.

As our Jon Krawczynski wrote, Randle's brutal debut made it clear that Minnesota still has a lot of work to do on offense. The deliberations on the Towns DiVincenzo trade with the Knicks won't stop until they sort things out – If They figure things out.

For his part, Gobert will hold on to it on the other end. At least most evenings.

“My goal is to be the best defenseman of all time,” said Gobert, whose Timberwolves had the league’s best defense last season. “And now my only focus is to win a championship and continue to make an impact on my team and continue to try to make my team the best defense in this league. “I think that's the best measure of a defenseman ever .”

(Top photo: Ringo Chiu / Associated Press)