April 8 is a day that basketball fans will remember, especially those of the Los Angeles Lakers, as their leader, LeBron James, the team's pillar, informed everyone that he would not be able to play today against the Minnesota Timberwolves because of flu-like symptoms. As soon as this news came out, many people began to speculate, what would the Lakers be like without James?
When I heard the news, my first reaction was to look at the Lakers' schedule and rankings. The truth is that the Lakers are now in a very delicate position, where they are hot on the back of the Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans in eighth place in the West.
The situation now is that the Lakers have every chance to climb higher positions as long as they play well in the final four games. Today's game is a key battle that is directly related to whether they can improve the rankings.
James' absence is obviously a big blow to the Lakers. There is a strange phenomenon that may give Lakers fans a little comfort. So far this season, in the ten games James has missed, the Lakers have a 6-4 record, a winning rate of 60%, and James has a winning rate of 57.4%.
Does this statistic mean that the Lakers can play well without James? This season, he has played in 68 games for the Lakers, averaging 25.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game, shooting 53.6% from the field and 41.3% from three-point range.
These stats are quite remarkable for any NBA player, especially considering that James is 39 years old. Life is always full of accidents, and flu-like symptoms make our Lao Zhan have to choose to rest.
It was probably a wise decision because health always comes first, and only by staying healthy can you perform better in future competitions. The Lakers and fans are hoping that he will recover as soon as possible and return to the court to continue leading the team forward.
At the same time as James announced his absence, he had not forgotten another important event in the world of sports. Even when he was sick at home, he still followed the NCAA women's basketball finals and supported Stephen Curry's sister, Seidel Curry. This behavior also shows his love for the game of basketball and his support for fellow athletes.
The Lakers, they've had their ups and downs this season. The first was a loss against the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 31, when the Lakers were on a two-game losing streak. James appeared to have given the team a shot in the arm with a simple tweet, posting a countdown emoji.
After that, the Lakers looked like a different team, winning 21 of their next 29 games and losing just eight, and that rebound allowed them to climb the Western Conference standings.
Now that James is out, the rest of the Lakers players need to step up and show the depth and team spirit of the team. After all, basketball is a team sport, and one person may be the leader of the team, but the victory of the game always belongs to the whole team.
The Lakers' coaching staff and players on the bench now have a heavier responsibility. They need to recalibrate their tactics and bring out the potential in each player to fill the void left by James. For fans, this game is also a test to see if the Lakers can maintain a consistent performance without a leader.
This game is also a great opportunity for the Lakers' young players to show themselves. They can show that they can bring out their problem-solving skills and give the team hope even in difficult moments. More than just an ordinary regular season game, this game could be a turning point in the story of the Lakers this season.
So what do you guys think about this?