The Los Angeles Lakers seem locked into this year’s Play-In tournament. After suffering a loss against the Warriors, the team needs to buckle up as the post-season is right around the corner. The Lakers still have two games remaining this season, and could possibly move up to the ninth or eighth seed before the tournament begins. For this, the availability of LeBron James in the squad will be crucial.
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For their upcoming matchup against the Grizzlies, the Lakers have listed Anthony Davis (left eye contusion) as ‘Probable’ and LeBron James (left ankle peroneal tendinopathy) as ‘Questionable’. While the Grizzlies are one of the worst teams in the West (27-53), the Lakers will still need one of their marquee players to take down Memphis on Friday night.
James did suit up for the Lakers’ recent match-up against the Warriors, ending the contest with 33 points, 11 assists, and 7 rebounds. He sat out the Lakers prior game due to Flu-like symptoms, while Davis played against Minnesota on Monday.
Davis aggravated an earlier eye injury after getting hit in the face by an elbow in the contest against the Timberwolves and missed the remainder of the game. He then sat out Wednesday’s contest against the Warriors due to headache and nausea, though he was not entered into concussion protocol.
James and Davis should be playing in the remaining two regular-season games, as the Lakers could put themselves in a more advantageous position by closing out the season with back-to-back wins against the Grizzlies and the Pelicans. New Orleans will definitely pose a bigger challenge to LBJ and the crew as they look to finish out the season with a win.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis anchored the Lakers
LBJ and AD had a hard time winning, since securing their maiden title together in 2020. While he has always been productive on the floor, the former Pelicans big man has been battling injury concerns for some time now. This season marks the first time he has played over 70 games for the Lakers, and only the second time he played over 60 games during a season for the Purple and Gold.
On the flip side, LeBron has been nothing but great for the Lakers, even after almost 40 years of age. Even though he had injury concerns, the King has managed to stay consistent on the court, even hitting 70 appearances this season.
He continues leading the team in point averages, racking up 25.5 points this season. While Davis and James continue to execute their roles to perfection, the onus of winning more games will lie on the Lakers bench and the remaining starters. With James hitting free agency this summer, it will be interesting to see if the Lakers get their act straight to keep James a little bit longer while signing James’s son Bronny also becomes a real option for the Purple and Gold.
