After the February trade, the Los Angeles Lakers look good and are clearly on a roll. Troubles and issues with injury kept coming, but they did not give in. The squad kept fighting all the challenges and kept the hopes alive of making the postseason this time. Now, the season has come to the fag end, with the next phase about to start soon. The Lakers have come back really strong as, at one point, all hopes were lost with James gone.
The injury against the Mavericks in late February really scared the fans. But Anthony Davis has led the team pretty well since then. But the reason that the February trade was so important is evident in the recent performances of the Lakers. Now, the team has got depth, and every player is contributing the best way they can. LeBron James is also very hopeful with the current roster to go a long distance.
LeBron James Explains The Reason Behind The Team’s Recent Success
James recently highlights the fact that everybody in the team is chipping in at the right time. He mentioned, “the key is having long players including me, Vanderbilt, obviously AD and AR. D’Lo can go long as well. That makes us focus on our defense more.” According to him, the quality players like D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves have provided immense support to AD in the absence of James. Even after James got back against the Bulls, these players are actually making a big difference.
The new players in the starting lineup contributed the most against the Bulls at the United Center. The Lakers do have a problem with people coming off the bench like Malik Beasley. Coach Darvin Ham says, “he is frustrated, but I’ve got his back 1000%.” Albeit, it does not matter since the starting lineup is doing such great damage to the opposition.
Against the Bulls, in the last game, the Lakers started with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Jarred Vanderbilt, Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell, and so on. These players came together to score 107 points of the overall 121 they scored in the last game. Hence, the problem with the players on the bench is not a significant concern.
The Lakers Are In Great Mood, Still Need To Take Precautions
If the starting lineup keeps up that level of performance, why would anyone worry about the bench strength? However, the way the season has panned out for the Lakers, it is better to be cautious. Any more injury issues to any key player can be fatal for the team in the current season. LeBron James mentioned that he might not be totally fit as he could undergo surgery in the offseason. Anthony Davis was out for almost 20 games due to a stress injury last December. And D’Lo came after a sprained ankle injury. In other words, it is essential to keep a good look on the bench actually.
Meanwhile, the Lakers are happy as they took sweet revenge immediately after a devastating and embarrassing loss against the same team. Austin Reaves returned the favor to Patrick Beverley by doing the “too small” celebration. LeBron James also appreciated that gesture as he mentioned, “AR always got my back.”
