In order to form the Big Three, the Los Angeles Lakers filled the lineup gap by signing a base salary contract in the offseason this summer. With the exception of the Big Three and Nunn and Tucker, the remaining Players of the Lakers are on base-paid contracts. In these base salary contracts, with the exception of rookies Rivers and Munch, the other players are all over the age of 30. According to previous reports in the US media, the Lakers have an average age of more than 32 years old this season, one of the highest average age teams in NBA history. The biggest hidden danger caused by the age of the lineup is injury, and the Lakers have not escaped the fate of being attacked by injuries this season. With the exception of Westbrook, almost all of the Lakers' players have missed games due to injuries for various reasons. Anthony Davis, who has been absent from injury for more than a month recently, has just returned, and another core of the Lakers, LeBron James, has been hung up for free because of injury.
LeBron James' injury was a surprise, and the 37-year-old veteran maintained a fairly efficient offensive standard in previous games, and his average of points per game is about to surpass Durant as the league's top scorer. James was not injured in the game or in training, but simply because of the excessive playing time and the body overload. According to authoritative ESPN reporter Shams, James' left knee injury rebounded again after he missed three games and is expected to miss at least the game in early February. Although the team has suffered three consecutive defeats in the recent poor situation and the playoffs are shaky, the Purple and Gold Army clearly do not want James to make a premature comeback, so it is not impossible for the veteran to miss the entire month of February. James, 37, is averaging 36.6 minutes per game this season, the highest since the Cavaliers' single-core lead in the 17-18 season. Although James' physical qualities allow him to maintain the league's top athletic ability at the age of 37, his endurance and recovery speed are obviously much slower than when he was younger.
Anthony Davis has been in hot form since his comeback, and Westbrook's recent games have played out to their own characteristics. Although the Lakers suffered three consecutive losses, the fans did not give up hope. However, James's injury obviously affects more than the recent Lakers' record, if he misses some games in February, then when he returns to the Lakers, he will only have one month to run into the playoffs. Considering the Lakers' regular season rankings this season, they will most likely face the top teams in the West in the first round of the playoffs, and it is clear that their current strength and form are not enough for them to beat these strong teams. In fact, the Lakers have played well for a while this season when the Big Three are in order, and for a time in late December and early January, they won five of their six games. Unfortunately, the continuous injuries have prevented them from running into the full squad.
The Lakers' current record is 24-27, three wins ahead of the Trail Blazers behind them. If James can't make a comeback before the All-Star Game, the two games against the Trail Blazers will be crucial for the Lakers. The last two games of the Six-Game Trip to the East were lost but the process was acceptable, and the Lakers needed to turn their advantage into a win in February to secure their playoff spot. Based on media information from all parties, the Lakers have little hope of reinforcing through the transaction before the trade deadline, and they will most likely rely on their own lineup to complete the season. In such a situation, injury recovery is the biggest reinforcement, and the return of James and Nunn may help the Lakers improve their strength. Do fans and friends think James' absence will affect the Lakers' playoff spot? Welcome to discuss and communicate in the comments section!