The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t have LeBron James or Marcus Smart in uniform Sunday, but they still handled business against the New Orleans Pelicans - and they did it with a little help from one of the most unexpected momentum swings you’ll see all season.
Midway through the game, Maxi Kleber - the Lakers’ backup big man who’s not exactly known for highlight-reel moments - found himself with a clear path to the rim. He drew a foul, went up for what looked like an easy layup… and completely airballed it.
Not off the backboard, not off the rim - just clean air. The ball floated past the basket like it had a mind of its own, and the Lakers bench lost it.
“It was one, hilarious,” LeBron James said postgame. “Two, unbelievable. And three, never seen no s- like that where a guy laid the ball up to the opposite rim, going toward the other rim.”
Even Kleber couldn’t help but laugh. He collected himself at the free-throw line and knocked down both shots, then jogged back on defense to the sound of his teammates clapping and cracking up. It was the kind of moment that doesn’t show up in a box score but can tell you everything about a team’s chemistry.
And right now, the Lakers’ chemistry is as strong as we’ve seen it in recent years. They’re sitting at 15-4, second in the Western Conference, and playing like a group that genuinely enjoys competing together - and having fun while doing it.
“We all had a good laugh,” Kleber said. “We had a good time with it, and I think this is going to stay [with me] for a couple days.”
The timing of the play couldn’t have been better. The Lakers had led wire-to-wire, but the Pelicans kept making mini-pushes to stay within striking distance. That’s when Kleber’s airball - bizarre as it was - flipped the energy back in L.A.’s favor.
“It entirely was [an energy-shifting play],” said guard Gabe Vincent. “For whatever reason, we went on a run.
Crazy. Shout out to Maxi.
He’s been shifting energy since day one when he’s stepped on the court for us. He’s been a positive shift.
And sometimes, that comes in the form of an airball layup.”
It’s a great reminder that not every impactful play has to be a dunk, a block, or a dagger three. Sometimes, it’s the unexpected - the kind of moment that breaks the tension, gets the bench going, and reminds everyone that basketball is still a game.
Kleber, who came over from Dallas in last season’s Luka Dončić blockbuster, isn’t lighting up the stat sheet - he’s averaging just 1.6 points per game - but inside the locker room, his value is crystal clear.
“He’s f-ing awesome,” Austin Reaves said. “He’s as good of a teammate as you could ask for.
On the court. Off the court.
Just good dude. Care factor is high.
Unselfishness is high. Just cares about the right things.”
That kind of presence matters over the course of an 82-game grind. And on a night when the Lakers were missing two key veterans, it was a role player - and one wild missed layup - that helped keep the vibes high and the win streak alive.
The Lakers look like a team that’s not just winning - they’re enjoying the ride. And that can be just as dangerous as anything they do on the court.