The Lakers locked up the playoff spot, the main injury stopped, can they break through?
The Lakers defeated the Pelicans in a crucial win late in the regular season to lock up a playoff spot in seventh place in the West. The win was built on injuries to two of the team's leading stars. James scored just 23 points due to sluggish flu symptoms, while Davis was in troubled form with an eye injury. If the two can't return soon, the Lakers will be passive in the playoffs.
For the Lakers, it's good to be able to qualify for the playoffs, but the road ahead is full of hardships. The opponent in the first round, the Denver Nuggets, was strong, and the Lakers lost every match between the two teams in the regular season. The bigger problem is that the injury situation of the Lakers' two core players, James and Davis, is worrying.
James scored only 23 points in this game, shooting less than 30% from the field, and was visibly plagued by flu symptoms. After the game, he was pale and slow, which shows that his condition is indeed not light. Traditionally, James needs to recuperate for a few days and wait for his symptoms to subside completely before returning. The Lakers' first round of the playoffs will start in a week, and it is doubtful that James will be able to recover in time and regain his peak form.
Davis's situation is even trickier. During the match, he was accidentally elbowed by his opponent, causing a severe eye injury, and was subsequently diagnosed with an orbital fracture. Doctors said Davis would need to recuperate for two weeks and undergo surgery. In other words, he will miss the Lakers' first round of the playoffs entirely. As the core of the Lakers' interior line, Davis' absence will undoubtedly be a heavy blow to the team.
Even if the Lakers lock up playoff qualification, it's hard to tell if they can turn the tide in the first-round series. In the Western Conference finals last season, the Lakers were swept out by the Nuggets, and the disparity in strength between the two teams is clear at a glance. Prior to this campaign, the Lakers had lost all of their regular season meetings 4 times.
The Nuggets have two big stars in their roster – Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Jokic is averaging 27 points and 12 rebounds per game, making him one of the league's top interior players. His height and reach put a lot of pressure on the interior defense, and he also has mid-range shooting and breakaway ability on the offensive end, and he is an All-Star on the defensive end.
Murray is the Nuggets' "shooter", averaging 25 points and 7 assists per game. He has excellent shooting ability, and his three-point shooting rate is over 40% this season, and he is barely able to pass on the defensive end. The two can be described as seamless in the transition between offense and defense on the inside and outside, which creates great trouble for the opponent.
The Nuggets' bench lineup is just as strong. Christian Braun is averaging 15 points per game, and Julian Strawther and Payton Watson are also reliable scorers. Their offensive firepower is phenomenal, and they can often set off a wave of offensive climax at critical moments and turn the tide of battle.
The Lakers' main lineup is much inferior. James and Davis are certainly All-Star caliber players, but their injury status is worrying. Prior to this battle, James had just recovered, and Davis had not fully recovered from his eye. Even if the two of them are forced to play, it is unknown whether they can maintain their form.
In addition to the main team, the Lakers' bench lineup is even more stretched. Spencer Dinwiddie, Marvin Bagley and others have all had mixed performances, and it is difficult to form a strong support for the team. The same is true on the defensive end, the Lakers' interior defense has always been a weakness, and the Nuggets' interior advantage may be fully exploited.
Even if the situation seems bleak, the Lakers will not give up easily. They still have a trump card in their hands - James. The current NBA's all-time scoring champion has repeatedly performed miracles on the playoff stage and has always been a reassurance for the team.
As long as James can get back to his peak as soon as possible, his one-man threat will be enough to throw the Nuggets' defense into disarray. At the beginning of the season, James' crazy performance of 61 points in a single game was impressive. His offensive methods have been perfected, including mid-range shooting, breakaway layups, three-point shots, and a sense of marking on the defensive end.
James' on-the-spot experience and leadership qualities are equally valuable. He can give his teammates a lot of confidence on and off the field and stabilize the morale of the army. When it mattered, James was often able to step up and turn the tide. Last year's finals "overtime lore" is the best footnote.
And beside James, Davis is also an indispensable core force for the Lakers. This young interior powerhouse has two killer features on the offensive end, inside scoring and mid-range jumpers, and on the defensive end, he is the league's top center. As long as his eye injury is okay, he will definitely be able to set up an interior umbrella for the Lakers.
In addition to the two cores, the Lakers' other players are also not to be underestimated. Although Dinwiddie, Bagley and others have limited depth in the lineup, they may still burst out at a super-level performance in key moments. For example, in the finals last season, Dinwiddie scored 40 points in a single game and became a key force for the team to win the championship.
Although the Lakers are inferior to the Nuggets in terms of roster, they still have a chance to live. As long as James and Davis return to normal and the rest of the players play at the level they should, the Lakers could turn things around and cause problems for the Nuggets. The playoffs are often full of uncertainties, and no team can afford to take them lightly.