Lakers 'put league on notice' with best start in 14 seasons

The most impressive aspect of the Lakers' run has been their ability to bounce back from large deficits. In Friday's win over the Suns, they wiped off a 22-point lead before rallying to a 123-116 victory. 

Similarly, on Saturday, the Lakers were down by 15 in the first half and trailed by seven entering the fourth quarter. The game flipped when they went on an incredible 21-0 run to start the final period, thanks largely to LeBron James, who scored 11 straight and then assisted or scored another seven points. James' fourth-quarter burst, along with Anthony Davis' overall domination, proved too much for their division rivals, who were outscored 44-33 in the final 12 minutes.

After Saturday's win, Davis said the 3-0 Lakers had "put the league on notice" and that they were not the team that finished seventh in the Western Conference a year ago.

“We’ve been able to hold our own and put the league on notice that we’re a different team,” Davis said, via The Athletic's Jovan Buha.

While the Lakers definitely resemble "a different team," they brought back 12 of the same 15 players from last year's roster, with only rookies Bronny James, Dalton Knecht and Quincy Olivari joining the squad. 

So what is the secret to their turnaround? 

James credited it to a shift in mindset and a more aggressive Davis, but not before cautioning his team against complacency. 

"It's still a process for us. We're learning," James said, via Buha. "We want to continue to get better and better every night. There's a tough road trip coming up against some tough opponents. So, it'll be a test for us."

As part of that lengthy road trip, the Lakers will travel to Phoenix Cleveland, Toronto, Detroit and Memphis for five away games over a 11-day span. If the Lakers can return home with even a 3-2 record from the road trip, they can consider it a resounding success.