The Lakers are just that special—they always manage to capture the extra attention of fans. For instance, in the season opener, their pre-game buzz was even higher than that of the reigning champion Bulls.
However, because New York has entered the iron-blooded era of Van Gundy, the games have become less entertaining. Fans didn't see much in the way of tactical collaboration. In the second half, the Lakers comfortably held the lead thanks to Barkley, securing the victory in the third quarter.
As far as the first game is concerned, the Lakers didn't give their fans any surprises. It wasn't exactly a big win. Starting off the regular season with a strong defense, the fans found it doesn't make for good watching.
But in the second game, everyone thought the Lakers would crush the Raptors effortlessly. After all, in the first game, the Lakers beat a Knicks team with a lineup like that without much trouble.
