After the Los Angeles Lakers lost to Golden State Warriors 121-128 on 16 March, Paul Pierce urged LeBron James to let his teammates flourish. On ‘UNDISPUTED‘, he stated, “Yes, LeBron’s been great numbers-wise, but LeBron’s got to take a step back”. The heart of the criticism was that the Lakeshow has become a one-man show and needs other players to take more control.
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However, since the Lakers’ turnaround, the Truth has changed his tune and has been singing their praises. In the latest episode of UNDISPUTED, LeBron James’ former rival gave the Lakers their flowers. After they beat the Washington Wizards 125-120, Pierce expressed that apart from the Denver Nuggets, they are the team to beat in the West.
“If they can avoid Denver, I can’t see anybody beating the Lakers in seven games, especially when you look at the top teams they are playing. OKC, Minnesota, I don’t trust them against the Lakers, especially the way Anthony Davis is playing,” Pierce told co-hosts Keyshawn Johnson and Skip Bayless.
For the Celtics legend, Anthony Davis’ play has been decisive in turning the tide toward the Lakers. The 10x All-Star highlighted Davis’ aggressiveness in the win against the Wizards as he put up 35 points, 18 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks, and 1 steal. In the victory, the Lakers two-way superstar went to the line 15 times and made all his free throws.
As per the Truth, this type of play from the perennial superstar makes the storied franchise a title contender. While the team has a long way to go regarding the ring, this has been a repeat of last season.
LeBron James and Co. have been the late bloomers
The Californian franchise has registered a remarkable turnaround since the All-Star break. They entered the break with a 30-26 record, thanks to a three-game winning streak. Since then, they have emerged on top during 14 of their 21 games, per Statmuse.
If we include the three-game winning streak before the break, they have a 17-7 record in the last 24 games. This is a mirror image of the last season when they went on a 16-7 run after the all-star break, per Basketball Reference. They finished with a 43-39 record and finished seventh in the West. Then they overcame a pesky Timberwolves in the OT of the play-in qualifier game.
Apart from that, they dusted off the Grizzlies and Warriors in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Ultimately, they were swept by the Nuggets in WCF. While they already have improved their record to 44-33 this season, the West is a minefield. The Conference is loaded with multiple superstars from top to bottom.
Despite having an above-average record, LeBron James and Co. are ninth in the Conference. The recent surge by the Lakers has also involved a lot of struggling squads. Therefore, it may be premature to say that they are title contenders despite the duo of AD and LBJ.
