Lakers

Arnab Bose

NBA

Anthony Davis Believes Having LeBron James Back Early Will Help Lakers Sort Out The Existing Gap

The Los Angeles Lakers have depended heavily on LeBron James and Anthony Davis since the 2020 championship season. It was a great duo on the court as well as off the court. But following the glorious season, things kind of fell apart for the Lakers. The purple and gold brigade could not make the postseason last year. Apparently, the NBA experts had not been considering them as contenders even in the current season. Perhaps it was due to the lack of balance in the roster. Then the Lakers suffered multiple injury concerns.

However, the Lakers’ front office took some tough calls, and after some transitions, the team looked good. But last month, the team suffered a big blow after LeBron James sustained a tendon injury and missed 13 games in a row. The team was in dire when Anthony Davis came to the rescue. Later, D’Angelo Russell joined the party, and the Lakers looked cruising very well. However, there were certain problems, like consistency was missing. Hence, the Lakers had no long streak to help them climb higher and faster.

   

Anthony Davis Feels Positive About LeBron James Is Back

LeBron James Anthony Davis Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James, rear, and Anthony Davis (3) celebrate after the Lakers defeated the Miami Heat 106-93 in Game 6 of basketball’s NBA Finals. (Mark J. Terrill, File, AP)

The good news for the purple and gold brigade is that LeBron James has returned after almost a month in the lineup. Albeit, his return was not a very successful one against the Bulls losing in their home court. Anthony Davis feels that LeBron’s comeback is hugely beneficial for the team. He did not expect James to return so soon. But AD mentioned, “James kept me updated. He said he was feeling good but coming back so soon is a bit unexpected. But it is going to help us for the rest of the games in the regular season.

Anthony Davis further suggested that missing so many games, even for a player like LeBron James, at the fag end of the season can get tricky. Hence, it was important for James to get into the rhythm of how things are working on the court at present. AD added that everybody knows their job well and will need to come to the party. It is not a two-person game, and the whole team is doing well, which is why the results are coming their way. Anthony Davis also suggests it is desperate times, and the team has to play like that.

The Lakers Just Need To Focus On Winning

Lakers
Lakers LeBron James D’Angelo Russell Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images

In Los Angeles, Crypto Arena.com, the home team, lost to the Bulls. Now, the Lakers are supposed to beat the Bulls in Chicago. Anthony Davis mentioned that it might sound tough, but certainly possible. It is all about having fun and playing the best basketball they know.

The Lakers are delicately hanging in the Western Conference. Currently, they are the 9th seed. But the table can turn pretty quickly. The Lakers need to make full use of the remaining seven games. They are just a little more than a game behind the Warriors. Hence, the Lakers can still make the top six and will not need to go through the play-in round.