When they woke up, the Lakers had lost again, and they had suffered six consecutive defeats. After this game, the probability of the Lakers entering the playoffs fell to 1%, in other words, the Lakers can already prepare for the new season in advance. Unless the Spurs lose the next four consecutive games and the Lakers win the last three games, the situation in the playoffs is unlikely to change. However, considering that the Lakers' opponents are the Suns, Warriors and Thunder, it is simply impossible for the Lakers to remain unbeaten.
If the Lakers win today's game, then the situation for them to enter the playoffs is completely different. However, James chose to rest in this crucial game, a decision that is confusing, and perhaps the Lakers have voluntarily given up all opportunities. However, considering that other players other than James are still playing diligently, the Lakers do not seem to want to give up voluntarily. The Lakers lost to the Nuggets 118-129, and if James can play, it is not impossible for the Lakers to win, because the Nuggets are also on the edge of the playoffs. In this game, Davis had 28 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists, Westbrook had 27 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists, and Anthony had 17 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists. Davis played 34 minutes in two consecutive games, and knowing that Davis is returning from injury, the Lakers' use of Davis may be debatable.
From today's race, we can see that Davis' movement has not fully recovered, and even a limp will occur during the running. So, what is the Lakers' motivation for letting Davis play with an injury, to make a last-ditch effort for the playoffs? Or get Davis back to the game? Obviously, neither of these arguments holds true, and if the Lakers really want to fight for a playoff spot, then James should not choose to rest in this crucial game, while also allowing The unhealed Davis to suffer the 128kg Jokic rotation on the court. If you can't get into the playoffs, then it becomes meaningless to help Davis get back to the game, such a simple question, the Lakers coaching staff can't see clearly?
It can only be said that the Lakers are full of factions and mixed with too complicated relationships. Whether James has a rotation or not, perhaps the coaching staff and management will not easily interfere, all depending on his personal preferences. The Lakers management does not want to completely give up the opportunity, so in the case of James' rotation, the Lakers want to fight for play-off places, and can only let Davis continue to play. The Lakers' problems are not brought about by Westbrook, but by their deep-rooted habits of the giants. Pelinka's connections and decision-making ability determine that the Lakers cannot afford not to suffer a big loss in the trade to send Westbrook away, so even if the Lakers prepare for the new season in advance, it will not make their future better.
James currently averages 30.3 points per game, and according to the rules of the league, James needs to play two games in the next game to qualify for this season's scoring king. If nothing else, James will play at least two games, and in both games James will score more points than 30 points, to put it bluntly, James is now the scoring champion. Today's rotation gave James a 4-day break, and it is not difficult for James to score 30 points after getting enough rest. This may also be the reason why James chose to rest. While talk abounds about James brushing up on stats, James seems to have stopped shying away from it, and he does want to get the scoring champion, the season he's most likely to be elected as a scoring champion in his career. If you miss this scoring king, then James has a high probability of no success this season, and in terms of the best team, James has little hope of mixing a third team this year.
In my opinion, james does not make sense to do so. Strong like Kobe Bryant and Jordan, they also accepted the decline in personal ability in the final years of their careers, and did not deliberately chase personal data, but this did not affect their historical status in the slightest. James won't overtake Michael Jordan as the new basketball god just because he has one more scoring king, and in the same way, he won't lose his solid position as the second person in history because he didn't get this scorer.