Everybody knows that the Lakers heavily depend on LeBron James and Anthony Davis. But when either of them fails to get on the court, the team looks a bit needy. Anthony Davis was absent for a long time due to injury, but after he was back, the King got injured. Now LeBron James will be unavailable for an uncertain time. As per the reports at least two weeks, the Lakers will have to work without the King. The Lakers badly need a streak to make it to the post-season.
LeBron James was very eager to qualify for the post-season this year. But the way things are going, it just looks tough now. The Lakers managed to win three games in a row but could not carry on with that momentum. On Tuesday, they lost to the Grizzlies, who are currently the 2nd seed in the Western Conference. It was a challenging game for the Lakers because they lacked strength in their attack. As a result, they could not match up to the constant strikes from the opponent.
D’Angelo Russell’s Absence Making It Worse For The LA Franchise
.@ramonashelburne says on NBA Today that the Lakers are hopeful D'Angelo Russell (sprained ankle) can return on Friday at home vs. the Wolves.
— Michael Corvo (@michaelcorvoNBA) February 28, 2023
It is a problem when a lot of essential players on the roster are unavailable due to injuries, with only 20 games to go in the regular season. If not a direct qualification to the playoffs, then at least try to make it to the play-in tournament. Anyway, they need a streak to take them forward and closer to the post-season. However, it is not possible without any firepower available on the court for the Lakers.
The Lakers will need one of their new recruits, D’Angelo Russell, to come back on the court as soon as possible. Making things worse for the Lakers, Russell got injured in the game against the Golden State Warriors, which they actually won. Russell sprained his ankle and will not get fit to play until the game against Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers will hope he makes it to that game. But he will certainly miss the game against the OKC Thunder.
Why Lakers Badly Need A Fit D’Angelo Russell?
The Lakers do need someone like Russell who can strengthen their attack. D’Angelo Russell has the skills to score from all three levels as well as get his teammates chances for open shots. He knows how to make space on the floor and increases scoring chances in transition. All these abilities will be immensely valuable for a Lakers side sans the King.
Time is running out as the clock is really ticking, with the Lakers still at 12th seed. They need to somehow get into the top ten. For that, they need to play with a balanced squad. After the trade deadline was over, it felt like the Lakers managed to get a pretty good deal. There was balance in the squad. But the central part of the equation was LeBron James until he got unavailable. The team will need to keep hopes alive for the post-season until the King returns.
